Alessandro Piu + Simpel.

Alessandro Piu, a talented surfer from Sardinia joins the Simpel crew. Alessandro has spent most of his time travelling throughout Europe, finding fun waves, competing, and building a community of great people around himself. Alessandro is a longstanding friend who is full of energy and has always been super supportive. He is a progressive surfer who's dedication to surfing stands out in his raw power and ability to surf all conditions with ease. Read more about Alessandro below.

How old are you Alessandro? 

I’m 34 years old

Where did you grow up? 

I grew up in Sardinia. I was so lucky to have grown up there as I believe it to be true paradise in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea. The traditions and roots of the people of Sardinia are very strong, it is a magical land. Sardinia is a sort of space/time bubble, where time seems to flow more slowly, more relaxed, this gave me space to savor days spent at the seaside, or in the mountains.

I started windsurfing when I was about 6 years old and spent a lot of time on the boat with my father fishing, so I understood how the sea moved, the currents, the wind, and how the fronts of incoming storms move. This also allowed me to cultivate a strong nose for waves haha. As I grew up my father and I started to explore Sardinia more, we surfed all sides of the island, practically every inch of the coastline.

I was really lucky as a child and was able to spend a lot of time travelling between France, Spain and Portugal, following waves with my family. I realised at a young age how much I enjoyed travelling, seeing new things and meeting new people.

Do you have a favourite wave; can you describe it? 

Yeah, it’s a secret spot here on my Island, it’s a right hander wave that barrels and is pure magic. it's an amazing wave with a fun variety of sections as it rolls across the beach, snapper rocks Italiano.

If you could only have two boards, what would they be?

If I only had two boards, I guess the first board I’d choose would be a 5’11" for small fun peeling waves. The second would have to be a 6'8" with a bit of extra volume for bigger barrelling waves!

How do you make a living? 

I do different things around surfing; my favourite is to create new projects where I collaborate with companies to make content, where I always try to involve my close friends if I can. Including friends is something I love to do as it makes it a lot more fun, and I feel it makes a better result.

Surfing has been the biggest part of my life, so I have sculpted my work around it to be able to surf almost every day.

Do you have any other hobbies? 

Personally, when I don't surf and have free time, I venture inland with friends, or go to sea to fish. I love fishing. I have been fishing since I was 4, from the rocks or the boat, both give me great satisfaction. You learn a lot about patients and the importance of sharing knowledge with others when fishing. I believe it's a great skill to have and it’s something you can do with friends which is something I really value.

How long have you surfed? 

Must be at least 25 years as I started surfing at around 9 years old. Before this I windsurfed for a few years and had spent a lot of time fishing with my father off his boat, this is what drove my love for the ocean and desire to surf.

How has surfing impacted your life? 

It has impacted my entire life. My friends, how I live, the way I am, what I do, everything. Surfing has helped me to find a community of great friends from countries all around the world. I think most importantly surfing has helped me see and appreciate the different skills and approach these cultures have. You can learn a lot when you take time with people in different places. I have learnt so much along the way!

Also, in my day-to-day life is now influenced by the waves ahaha.

Who inspires you the most? 

If I was going to pick a professional surfer, I'd say Kelly Slater, seeing his determination and strength at his age is something to admire and aspire to achieve. Seeing this helps me stay motivated to look after my body and keep surfing regularly, as I'd like to be surfing as good as I can when I’m his age too.

I'm also inspired by my friends and family. Seeing how they live their lives, still finding time to surf and help their friends, even if life gets busy sometimes.