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Draft:Miguel Blanco

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  • Comment: I recommend going through the draft and removing everything that does not have a supporting source. CNMall41 (talk) 03:52, 23 April 2025 (UTC)


Miguel Blanco
Personal information
Born27th November, 1995
Lisbon, Portugal
Surfing career
SportSurfing
SponsorsOxbow, Corona
Major achievements2011 – European Grom Search Title Winner

2015 – WSL European Pro-Junior Caparica Champion 2016 – Volcom Crustaceous European Tour Winner 2018 – Portuguese National Championship Title Winner 2018 – Surfer Magazine cover shot

2019 – Portuguese National Championship Title Winner
Surfing specifications
StanceRegular

Miguel Blanco (27 November, 1995) is a Portuguese surfer from Lisbon.

Blanco is a two-time Portuguese national champion[1] and has competed on both the World Surf League's (WSL) Championship Tour and its Qualifying Series.[2] He has also been featured on a Surfer Magazine cover[3] as well as starred in and directed the films "Tropical Popsicle",[4] "The Passenger"[5] and "The Passenger II".[6]

Blanco is an active member of the Save the Waves Coalition,[7] Surfrider Foundation panelist,[8] Hope Zones Foundation[9] and Seatrees.[10]

He now lives in Ericeira, a prominent surfing destination in Portugal.[11]

Early life

[edit]

Blanco was born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal. At the age of 7 he moved to the coastal town of São Pedro do Estoril (Cascais) with his family.[12]

His primary surf location, Praia de São Pedro do Estoril, an iconic Portuguese surf spot, served as his training ground. At the age of 11, Blanco secured his first sponsorship with the surf brand Lightning Bolt.[13]

Although initially provided with a surfboard that was oversized for him, Blanco’s enthusiasm for the sport continued to develop. He drew inspiration from the distinctive style of Gerry Lopez, a renowned Hawaiian surfer and fellow Lightning Bolt team rider.[14]

Competitive surfing career

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After becoming the European Grom Search Title Winner in 2011,[15] the WSL European Pro-Junior Caparica Champion in 2015[16] and the Volcom Crustaceous European Tour Winner in 2016,[17] Blanco decided to fully dedicate his life to surfing and pursue it as a career.

That same year, Blanco surfed against John John Florence in the WSL event at the Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal,[18] with the heat being narrowly won by Florence. Florence would go on to win the event[19] and claim his first world title.[20]

2018 saw Blanco secure his first Portuguese National Championship title.[21] He then competed in the Oi Hang Loose Pro competition in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, coming up against then two time WSL World Champion Gabriel Medina.[22]

He surfed as a wildcard against Gabriel Medina again at the Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal, held at Supertubos, narrowly missing out on a spot in the quarter-finals.[23]

In 2019 he won a Portuguese National Championship[24] trophy for the second year in a row.

In 2020, the cancellation of all World Surf League (WSL) tour events due to the COVID-19 pandemic[25] significantly impacted the surfing community.

After a total of three WSL Championship Tour appearances[26] and two national championships, Blanco quit professional surfing in 2022 to focus on free surfing and environmental activism, using his platform as a professional surfer to raise awareness about local and international ocean conservation issues.

Blanco has since dedicated himself to chasing perfect waves in some of the world’s most unique locations while also experimenting with new board designs and styles.

This has earned him invitations to events such as Ripcurl’s Padang Padang Cup (2023),[27] the Capítulo Perfeito (2013-present)[28] and the Twin Fin Invitational (2024),[29] where he surfed alongside international surfers like Mason Ho, Rob Machado, Clay Marzo and Ozzie Wright.

Big wave surfing career

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As part of Portugal's new generation of big wave surfers, Blanco has become a fixture within the international XXL wave surfing community.[30]

In 2018, he appeared on the cover of Surfer Magazine during an XXL swell at Nias in Indonesia. The photo captured Miguel getting barrelled with the title "This is Life Changing".[31]

In early 2023 he found himself in Hawaii for the now-legendary XXL Márcio Swell[32] (named in memory of Jaws paddle pioneer Márcio Freire[33]).

December 2024 saw Blanco surfing another iconic swell event at Jaws, with media outlets and big wave surfers calling it five days straight of mint condition Peahi.[34]

Environmental activism

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Blanco is an advocate for marine conservation and environmental sustainability.[35]

His first foray into environmental activism was in 2020 when he partnered with the World Wild Fund (WWF) on a campaign to raise awareness about plastic pollution in the ocean.[36] He then became a representative for Ajudem a Limpar as Praias (Help Clean the Beaches),[37] an organisation dedicated to cleaning up Portugal's coastline.

The following year in 2021, Blanco joined the Save the Waves Coalition[38] on an expedition to the Azores,[39] collaborating with other environmentalists to deepen their efforts in ocean conservation. During this trip he crafted a surfboard made from discarded COVID-19 masks as part of MEO's The Unwanted Shapes initiative,[40] using it to highlight the environmental impact of pandemic-related waste.

In 2022, Blanco spoke at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, advocating for sustainable practices and ocean conservation. He also became an ambassador for The ECOBOARD Project[41] - a movement that aims to reduce the environmental impact of surfboard production.

That same year Blanco began offsetting his climate impact by partnering with Seatrees[42] to support various restoration projects around the world. He also continues to work closely with Save the Waves Coalition[38] to support World Surfing Reserves programs with a focus on Ericeira (where he currently resides). Save the Waves's flagship program, World Surfing Reserves, was managed and co-founded by former big wave surfer and environmentalist João de Macedo,[43] who has since become a mentor to Blanco.

In collaboration with João de Macedo, Blanco is also a part of the Hope Zones Foundation,[44] which aims to legally protect 30% of the world's oceans and land before 2030.

2024 was the year Blanco organised the Onda Limpa Tour,[45] a surf tour focused on promoting sustainable practices and educating local communities about the importance of ocean conservation. The tour has four stops across Portugal with 160 participants and over 665 kilograms of trash collected from beaches.[46]

His IMPACT series continues into 2025 with an expanded series featuring new partnerships, a focus on environmental education and a celebration of culture and surfing.[47] The series can be streamed on both Fuel TV and YouTube.

Media and surf films

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Blanco's surf films and environmental work focus on raising awareness about climate change through his YouTube and Fuel TV series IMPACT.[48]

In 2018, Blanco's short film "Here & Now" was released.[49]

In 2022, Blanco travelled to some of the world's top surf destinations, including Australia, Hawaii, Morocco, Fiji and Indonesia – footage of which would be used in the creation of the short film "Tropical Popsicle".[50]

Blanco has fully produced and directed the following short films: "The Passenger" in 2022, "Tropical Popsicle" in 2023 and "The Passenger II" released in late 2024.

He has been showcased in Ripcurl’s The Search film "An Nou Ay",[51] Nic Von Rupp’s series "Von Froth"[52] and international campaigns for KIA Motors.[53]

His portfolio also includes appearances in Corona’s "Lay Days"[54] series alongside Filipe Toledo and Tatiana Weston-Webb, as well as Stab Magazine’s "STAB HIGHWAY Europe".[55]

Awards and achievements

[edit]
  • 2011 – European Grom Search Title Winner
  • 2015 – WSL European Pro-Junior Caparica Champion
  • 2016 – Volcom Crustaceous European Tour Winner
  • 2018 – Portuguese National Championship Title Winner
  • 2018 – Surfer Magazine cover shot
  • 2019 – Portuguese National Championship Title Winner

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Morgado, Francisco (2019-10-04). "Liga MEO Surf - Miguel Blanco renova título de campeão nacional de surf". ANS (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  2. ^ "Miguel Blanco Surfer Bio - Men's Junior Tour Event Results". World Surf League. 2023-06-23. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  3. ^ "Miguel Blanco's Nias Barrel that Landed Him on the Cover". www.surfer.com. 2024-07-20. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  4. ^ "Meet Miguel Blanco, the Star of the New Film "Tropical Popsicle"". www.surfer.com. 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  5. ^ "The Passenger - A Portuguese Winter Story | Around the Waves". aroundthewaves.com. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  6. ^ James (2024-12-02). "The Passenger 2 - Miguel Blanco". Carvemag.com. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  7. ^ "Ambassadors". Save The Waves. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  8. ^ "People, Power and Pace in Portugal: Reflections on the 7th Global Wave Conference". www.surfrider.org. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  9. ^ Hopezones. "Who we are". www.hopezones.org. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  10. ^ "Meet Our Newest Ambassador Miguel Blanco!". Seatrees. 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  11. ^ "Ambassadors". Save The Waves. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  12. ^ "Miguel Blanco Surfer Bio | Age, Height, Videos & Results". World Surf League. 2023-06-23. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  13. ^ Geniya (2021-05-11). "Company Profile: Lightning Bolt". Surfd. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  14. ^ Geniya (2021-05-11). "Company Profile: Lightning Bolt". Surfd. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  15. ^ "GromSearch European Series 2011 - Surf-Report". Surf-report.com (in French). 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
  16. ^ "Blanco et Bonvalot, doublé portugais à Caparica". SudOuest.fr (in French). 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
  17. ^ Redação. "MIGUEL BLANCO, GUILHERME RIBEIRO E JOÃO MENDONÇA VENCEM VOLCOM TCT NA CAPARICA". surftotal.com (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-04-24.
  18. ^ "Results - MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2016". World Surf League. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  19. ^ "MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2016", Wikipedia, 2022-05-15, retrieved 2025-06-04
  20. ^ "Hawaiian John John Florence Clinches 2016 World Surf League (WSL) Title". World Surf League. 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  21. ^ "Miguel Blanco sagra-se campeão nacional de surf". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  22. ^ Carvalho, João (2019-02-23). "Medina faz os recordes do dia no Oi Hang Loose Pro Contest que termina neste domingo em Noronha". WSL - Latin America (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  23. ^ "Miguel Blanco Surfer Bio - Men's Championship Tour Event Results". World Surf League. 2023-06-23. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  24. ^ User, Super. "MIGUEL BLANCO É CAMPEÃO NACIONAL DE SURF 2019". surftotal.com (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-03-17. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  25. ^ Morrison, Derek (2020-07-17). "WSL Cancels 2020 Championship Tour". New Zealand Surf Journal. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  26. ^ "Miguel Blanco Surfer Bio - Men's Championship Tour Event Results". World Surf League. 2023-06-23. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  27. ^ "Padang Padang Awakens For Rip Curl Cup Warm-Up Session". World Surf League. 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  28. ^ GRT. "Miguel Blanco – Capitulo Perfeito". capituloperfeito.com (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  29. ^ James (2024-10-29). "William Aliotti Twin Fin Invitational". Carvemag.com. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  30. ^ "Watch: Miguel Blanco Charges Wild Waves In Passenger 2". Yardbarker. 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  31. ^ "Miguel Blanco's Nias Barrel that Landed Him on the Cover". www.surfer.com. 2024-07-20. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  32. ^ "The Marcio Swell". Surfline. 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
  33. ^ Kopke, Maria. ""Marcio Swell" - Jaws esteve ao rubro na semana passada". surftotal.com (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  34. ^ "Jaws Goes Super-Sized On Eddie Sunday: 'Some of the Biggest Waves I Have Ever Shot'". www.surfer.com. 2025-01-10. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  35. ^ "Miguel Blanco. Surfer. Environmentalist". Move Sports. 2021-09-03. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  36. ^ Garcia, Mariana Abreu (2024-09-02). "Miguel Blanco, o surfista ativista". D de Delta (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  37. ^ "SOBRE NÓS – Movimento Ajude a Limpar a Praia" (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-04-24.
  38. ^ a b "Ambassadors". Save The Waves. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  39. ^ SaveTheWaves (2022-08-17). The Azores: Saving Waves in the Atlantic. Retrieved 2025-06-04 – via YouTube.
  40. ^ "Vamos surfar num mar de plástico?". blog.meo.pt. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  41. ^ "From Packaging Waste to a High Performance Surfboard Blank – The ECOBOARD Project". Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  42. ^ "Meet Our Newest Ambassador Miguel Blanco!". Seatrees. 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  43. ^ "Portuguese Big wave surfer João de Macedo on why we need to protect our oceans". The Blue Surfer. 2023-07-29. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  44. ^ Hopezones. "Who we are". www.hopezones.org. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  45. ^ matias. "Iniciativa Ambiental na Foz do Lizandro: Comunidade une esforços para limpar o Rio Lizandro". surftotal.com (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  46. ^ "The Onda Limpa movie celebrates the collective effort of 160 dedicated… | Miguel Blanco". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  47. ^ Impact Series Series. Retrieved 2025-08-26 – via www.thesurfnetwork.com.
  48. ^ Impact Series Series. Retrieved 2025-08-26 – via www.thesurfnetwork.com.
  49. ^ Miguel Blanco (2020-01-07). "Here & Now". Retrieved 2025-06-04 – via YouTube.
  50. ^ Hernandez, Juan (2023-08-03). "'Tropical Popsicle': Miguel Blanco's 'Wildest Yet Most Rewarding' Trip to Indo". The Inertia. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  51. ^ "An Nou Ay | The Search | NobodySurf". An Nou Ay | The Search | NobodySurf. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  52. ^ "SURFING BIG PERFECT CAVE, EUROPES MOST DANGEROUS WAVE | VON FROTH EP 25". www.tonicmag.com. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  53. ^ "Miguel Blanco assina com KIA Motors". ONFIRE Surf | Portugal. 2014-03-11. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  54. ^ World Surf League (2023-06-25). Join Tatiana Weston-Webb, Filipe Toledo and Miguel Blanco for a Corona Lay Day in Portugal. Retrieved 2025-02-10 – via YouTube.
  55. ^ Session, Rédaction Surf (2023-07-31). "Une équipe française sur le Stab Highway !". Surf Session (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
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