Ready for the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship at home

Ever since he began his professional surfing career at the age of twelve, Cristobal de Col has made great leaps of progress in this sport. This young champion is already among the greats, having participated in dozens of competitions and achieving some notable victories, an unprecedented feat for someone of his age. He was born into a family of surfers: his father Titi, his sister Nadja, and even his 4-year-old brother Noah all carry a natural talent in their blood. Cristobal has proven his potential to turn his dreams into reality.

What’s his secret? To possess a strong love for the sport and good feel for the board, which he himself describes as, “the desire to go back in the water, when for example you can’t surf for a few weeks…the feeling of finally getting back in the ocean is incredible."

Cristobal’s best years thus far were 2010 and 2011. He quickly became famous in the beginning of last year when he won the Open category of the Billabong Cabo Blanco championship in Peru, beating several accomplished surfers. Further along in 2010, he was crowned together with the Peruvian National Team as world champions after winning the ISA World Surfing Games. This year he continues to win championships, often times competing and beating older and more experienced athletes.

His precocious talent has won him invitations to several entertainment tournaments, e.g. the Red Bull Surfing Camp in the Mentawais and the Red Bull Project Air, where he shares surf sessions with great athletes such as Mick Fanning, Adriano de Souza and Sofia Mulanovich. These experiences, according to Cristobal, have been “the best of my life.”

A bit about his life…

Born on June 28, 1993 into a family that lives for surfing, Cristobal began when he was very young. From the moment he developed his sense of reason, he loved to see his father, Titi, the two-time national surf champion, glide through barrels of 10-foot waves, anxious for him to come out of the water so that Cristobal could take the board and run through the foam on the shore. He recounts, “My father was a strong influence on me, even at the age of 3 when he put me in the water and had me stand still, so little by little I began to gain experience until making it to professional surfing, where I continue to this day.”

He recognizes Titi not only as his father, but also as his coach and life role model, who taught him to surpass his limitations, thus guiding him to make his dreams come true. “My father does everything. He’s the one who motivates me, he’s my coach, and he continues to show me how to be both a good surfer and a good person,” said Cristobal proudly. 

Main Achievements

2010 1st place Billabong Cabo Blanco, Peru

2010 1st place Reef Classic Latin Pro, Mancora, Peru

2010 3rd place Quiksilver Pro, Puerto Escondido, Mexico

2010 1st place together with the Peruvian team at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games in Peru.

2009 (15-16 years old)

* 3rd place in the La Herradura Championship in Lima.

* Participant in the High Performance Red Bull Surfing, Mentawais.

* Participant in the Red Bull Rising program in Australia.

2008 (14 years old)

* Nominated as Grom of the Year

* 2nd place in the Billabong Cabo Blanco Tube Riders

* Under-16 National Champion

1st place in Máncora

2nd place in San Ba rtola

3rd place in La Isla

1st place in Punta Rocas

2007 (13 years old)

* Under-16 and Under-18 National Championship Stops:

  1st place in Pampilla

  1st place in Señoritas

  1st place in San Bartolo

  1st place in La Isla

* Semifinal in the Rip Curl Pro Search in Indonesia

2006 (12 years old)

* National Boarding Circuit – Cat. Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18

1st place in Máncora

1st place in San Bartolo

* 12th place in the Panamerican Surfing Championship – Cat. Under-18

* 1st place in the Rip Curl Grom Search (Medewi, Bali)

* 6th place in the Oakley Junior Challenge 2006, Brasil. Cat. Sub-16

2005 (11 years old)

Ë™ 1st place in the Junior Etnies Pro, Salsa Brava, Costa Rica. Cat. Under-16

Ë™ 1st place in the Campeonato Christian Surfers 2005. Cat. Under-15

Ë™ 1st place in the “Huayco” Halls Cup. Cat. Under-16 and Under-14

Ë™ 1st place in the Circuito Nacional de Tabla. Cat.. Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16

Ë™ 32nd place in the ISA World Juniors Championship, Cat. Under-16

Ë™ 1st place in the NSSA  Explorer Seasson, Oceanside, Ca. Cat. Under-12

2004 (10 years old)

Ë™ 1st place in the APTP “Big Head Classic” Circuit. Cat. Under-13 and Under-16.

Ë™ 1st place in the School Tournament Milo Cup. Cat. Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14

Ë™ 1st place in the Peru Waves Intercollegiate Cup. Cat. Under-12 and Under-14

Ë™ 6th place in the NSSA Hawai Tour Mini Groms 2003-2004. Cat. Under-11

Ë™ 1st place in the Hawaiian Amateur Surfing Asociation, Menehune. Cat. Under-11

2003 (9 years old)

Ë™ 1st place in the Campeon School Tournament Milo Cup. Cat. Under-10 and Under-12 

Ë™ 1st place in the Peru Waves Intercollegiate Cup, Cat. Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14

Ë™ 1st place in the Quiksilver Ripley Cup. Cat. Under-12

Ë™ 1st place in the Tallarin Villaran Tournament, Punta Hermosa. Cat. Under-11

Ë™ 1st place in the National Boarding Tournament. Cat. Under-10 

Compiled by Hans Firbas Jr.