Name, location, age?

Manuel Román Point (Román), from Puerto Rico, 49 years





Studies / Profession?

I finished High School in 1979, then to University of Puerto Rico to pretend to study. Later, I decided to stop wasting my time and spend money from my parents. I enlisted in the U.S. Navy where I stayed 20 years and I became 1st Sergeant (First Class Petty Officer) in the area of telecommunications.





Sponsorships?

My Maria (her real name) and my effort are those who support me! With the support of my children, parents, mother-in-law (mother in law!) and minted also count on the positive energy of many friends.





Quiver?

I have many boards: old, yellow, twisted, broken, but now I only use two or three: a Stand Up Paddle (Surf) 9'7 "Joe Blair, a Longboard 9'6" Donald Takayama and any other to teach Surf or Paddle. Note that my choice is always upwards of 8 feet, no longer shortboards. This step has passed ...





How long have you surfing?

I Surf since 15, I am now 49 so ... just do the math!! Even, for professional reasons, I could not surf on the beach, I always kept the spirit, trained and swimming I always surf in my head. When I was deployed in Iceland I had a pool part-time job at the base of NATO as a lifeguard and swimming teacher. When the class end I used to take my board and start doing paddling, duck diving, but always dreaming about waves!





Why you choose surfing as a sport?

I was born in Puerto Rico and surf already had a long tradition when my brother and I decided to buy our first boards. We both worked two years on vacation cutting grass and washing cars in the neighborhood to save money. The Surf was the logical process of my evolution, I did swimming competition since 7-8 years old up to 16-17, when I ended up and devoted to surfing. I Surf from the time I wake up until I sleep and sometimes dream with. I surf when I go down the stairs of the building, inside the car, when I go down the street, when I walk down the ramp on the beach with the board already in hand, finally, I surf whenever I want to escape the world around me. I think there's a surfer in this world who do not pass under the branches of a tree (in my country there are many small palm trees) and do not envision being in a tube!





Do you practice any supplement sport? Why?

I gym almost every day, I'm not at machines or weight lift, I hate it! I do group lessons, from Step, Body Pump, Body Combat, Tai Chi, stretching and even Spining; Jacuzzi and sauna if I am in the mood, it feels good after a day of work. I always sport and despite Surf (SUP now) is a very complete sport, I always had the feeling that I didn’t exercise all the muscles. NO PAIN NO GAIN!! The cross-trainning is very important for any athlete in any sport.





Trips you've made and would like to do?

Travel only for my country. I have children who live far away and would rather have them with me in the summer then travelling by myself. I go there once a year and it’s too much! I would travel to northern Europe and Supar Fjords in Norway or in a lake in Italy or surfing the Black Sea. I want to travel away from the dumbs (laughs!) In my Navy´s time I surfed in Italy, U.S. and a few more. Portugal has fantastic waves and not have to travel far to enjoy some good times with my friends at my surfing spot.





Favorite maneuver?

Drop Knee Cut Back with a single fin or with a SUP with the paddle on the opposite side and of course a nice tube! Today nobody remembers surfing with the rails, just want to fly and blow in waves. Nothing cuter than a good cut-back followed by a tube.





Favorite surf spot?

I have about 15 surfing spots! In Puerto Rico La Ocho (which has about 4 different breaks), Los Tubos, Hallows, Wilderness in Aguadilla and Rincón Marias, I still have inches in Patillas. Here in Portugal Praia Grande (left of the dead), Carcavelos (no crowd) Mulberry (Aljezur) and of course that beach which I consider a "local" and I will not say it to not get more crowded. Those who know me know it, has a great stroke, chains, rocks, sea urchins, mussels and the locals are unfriendly, but sometimes it seems I'm in the Caribbean (excluding the wetsuit of course!).





Biggest fright?

I was about 16, 17 years old and I went to the beach in Los Tubos in Manati, Puerto Rico and I didn´t know how I get to the outside. Each set was larger than the former, there was nobody else in the water until my neighbor Pepe join me. He also did not know how to surf, we didn´t say anything, and suddenly we were separated. I tried to catch a wave that was a giant sticks, I still have problems with my knee! I spent the next two hours trying to get out of the water, had to paddle to Pata-Pata, a beach that is next door and took off the leash, grabbed a coconut-breaking, I made my first tube (in backside), jumped on the board and left to run. The board passed between two rocks in the sand and did not even touch them. Got into the hands of my brother who was waiting in the sand with the rest of the neighborhood kids. What saved me was all the years of swimming that gave me a good paddle, much give a shit! Kid stuff!





What do you think of surfing as a sport?

For me surfing is not a sport, not even compare it to football or anything else: "Surfing is Life the Rest are Details"





The surfers and the environment? The conservation of waves in Portugal and the World. What can be improved by us?

Surfing is a highly polluting, have you thought how was your board, the deck, the cape, the fins leash, etc etc etc? So if you can save fuel, electricity, water, then you are up a little. You can also collect those plastic bags or bottles that appear ahead of you when you finish surfing. Just a small but genuine gesture to save the waves. Forgive me the good engineers, builders, architects and developers throughout the world, but let it do shit in the back, in rivers, lakes and wetlands, the problem with many of the surf spots is that move here and spoil there. I think working for the welfare of society is good; work to leave your mark is pure selfishness! There is much corruption in this world and those who have power and money will always want more, a resort here and there, then come to Marina for fishing boats, then come a few piers to prevent erosion and so forth. Do not move! In the Navy learned one thing: "if it works, do not fix it"





Opinion about these sports (Longboard, Bodyboard and Surf) in Portugal nowadays?

What matters is sliding board with or without it, paddle, with a "sponge", with a candle or whatever. Not like the way that brands, institutions, and some professionals want to give the Surf. This is not football or snowboarding or skiing. There is much pressure on young people to spend money and have results in contests, etc… First let's enjoy, let the kids find out, make some trips as before by train, bus or even bicycle. Then there is the next Kelly Slater, to appear. It come all looking for the next CR-7. Surf and the kids go clueless because not everyone has this gift … I am with young people every day and hear their chats, still do not grab the board (ie sand) and talk about sponsorship. Hardly know getting into the foot and now they want to compete. Furthermore the tags use the image of surfing because it sells only to see young and beautiful in advertising, and seniors who want to learn more??



I'm a Soul Surfer and not like the way I see giving the surf … For me surfing is a way to be in life. And the sea is the one who commands ...





A memorable surfing that you have given?

On June 4, 2010, the day before going on vacation to Puerto Rico:. Waves by the shoulder, alone in my beach!! SUPada great, although any day on the water for me is a memorable surfing!





Message:

Peace & SUP Surf "... Get Up Stand Up Paddle ... for your Life ..."