Luis Miguel de la Rosa better known as “Magoo” de la Rosa was born in Lima, Peru on 9 November, 1965 in the midst of the golden years of Peruvian Surfing. The biggest surfing event was being held on their coast, they had their own World Champion –Felipe Pomar, and Surfing´s World Governing Authority, the International Surfing Federation´s President was Peruvian: Eduardo Arena.

It is with this impeccable timing that a special boy came to the planet and started surfing the wave rich city of Lima and all its nearby spots. He would soon to become noticed for his powerful surfing. If there´s a Latin American surfer that surfs like Occy, Magoo is the man.

He soon began winning National events and ultimately became the record holder for national titles with seven crowns: 1983, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1999 and 2001. The number of titles could’ve been higher, but Magoo decided to hit the road and compete in the World Tour. In doing so, he became the first Latin American surfer to accomplish this feat.

He achieved decent results in the old-fashioned world tour that had the top 16 in the Main Event and hundreds fighting in the trials to get there. He traveled the world, was recognized as a world-class elite surfer, and left the Peruvian flag flying high on every beach he visited.

Once his years as a World Tour warrior were over, Magoo had something left to prove to himself: becoming a World Champion. Life gave him this opportunity at the first edition of the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship, in the perfect waves of Rincón, Puerto Rico in 2007.

He had a stunning performance during the event, won every heat he surfed and made it to the final through the main event rounds.

Once in the final, in pumping 8 foot surf, battling against Heinare Paez (TAH), Alberto Licha (PRI) and David Malherbe (RSA), he waited for the right wave.  With only 50 seconds remaining in the heat, he got his set, surfed like a Champion and won.

In one of the most emotional moments of the history of the ISA, after he paddled in and grabbed the Peruvian flag, De la Rosa said with tears in his eyes: “I was quite nervous, at first I sat way outside to get a big one and grab a good score, but the conditions changed, it turned a bit stormy and it got very difficult for me to catch any waves. But then I found one that gave me half of the points I needed. In the end, I didn’t know how much time I had but I got the one that gave me the victory. Thank God, thanks for sending that wave!”

One year later, at home, in the 2008 edition of the Masters, Magoo did a great job during the entire event but came in second to an inspired performance by Rob Page (AUS).