Lucas Silveira drops on Ricosurf

At 28 years old, Lucas Silveira has achieved prominence in several competitions. After a significant victory in a stage of the QS 3 thousand, held in March, in Praia Mole, Santa Catarina, he returns with everything to his main objective: a place in the CT, the elite of world surfing. In the interview below he shares his highs and lows. Silveira is confident and focused in his planning for the competitions, highlighting the importance of performance in the Challenge Series 2024 to guarantee a place in the CT.

His training routine has been intense, with a strong focus on daily surfing and functional training with Marcelo Amaral. In addition to competitions, he values ​​surf trips in search of big, good waves, highlighting his passion for tubes. Lucas produces content about his work on the YouTube channel Hammer Tales, which started during the pandemic and has become a brand. Finally, he talks about his approach to different boards, his opinion on the current judging in the WSL and the importance of choosing the right board for each important moment of the competitions. Check out!

Tell us about your current situation in terms of competition planning?
The current moment is very favorable after the victory at Mole. The competitor has its ups and downs. Last year, I had a similar moment after Noronha, I managed to secure myself in the Challenge. I went into the Challenge with a lot of expectations, but my performance was a little disappointing. It was bad this year and needed a good result. I trained and I have another opportunity. Of the 80 competitors in CS, everyone has a chance of getting a place in the CT, so it’s very difficult, but let’s go for this one.

What has your training routine been like?
The training routine from the beginning of the year until the Mole championship was very intense. After the championship, I took some time off because there were some procedural situations with my daughter and it was quite stressful. So we took a snow holiday, something different. But now, in April, I’m back with everything because soon we will have CS starting in Australia. Basically, I surf every day and do functional work outside the water with Marcelo Amaral.

How is your current quiver?
I’m very happy with my quiver, the boards I’ve been using most are the Mayhem, they fit really well. I’ve been using them for a while and at the moment they’re particularly good. I’m very confident with the boards, for all conditions. I also count on sponsorship from Layback, Blu, Farms, Barra ecoclean, Lá Brasaria, Grupo Urbam.

Besides competitions, what are your goals in terms of surf trips?
Competitions are my main goal, but I’ve always liked going on trips after big, good waves. It’s been a while since I’ve done this type of trip and I’m always monitoring the swell. Catching tubes is what I like to do most, but the priority is the Challenge.

What are the fundamentals/maneuvers that you have been trying to improve?
I’ve been focusing more on trying to add more speed to my surfing, my flow, and focusing on power, which I believe is my differentiator. Train large, differentiated, torn maneuvers, laybacks, crashes, maneuvers that call a note. Even more so in today’s criteria, which is super critical in aerials. The way the grades are coming out, I’m going to focus on power surfing.

What are your favorite spots to train?
My favorite peak to train at is anywhere. I try to surf every day, in any condition. I surf a lot in front of my house, in Novo Campeche and Praia Mole. When you get used to surfing with the Mole swing, you end up finding the waves even easier because that wave is very difficult.

Who are the surfers that inspire you?
Even though he’s retired, I really like Mick Fanning. I’ve always really admired his posture, in and out of the water. And all the Brazilians, some from my generation, like Gabriel, Ítalo, Felipe and Yago, who is one of my best friends. We grew up surfing together, and what they did in surfing is very inspiring. Because they are close people, they inspire a lot.

Is there a wave you don’t know about and want to do this year?
Waves I haven’t been to yet, but are on the list. I don’t know if I can go this year. I’m not going to spread it now, but when I go, people will know.

What are your main goals for 2024?
My goal for surfing in 2024 is to qualify for the CT.

Talk about your work on Hammer Tales, your YouTube channel:
Hammer Tales started during the pandemic with Bad Films, who had the idea of ​​creating a YouTube channel. We started it and had a very good response. And as there was no championship or trip, we continued doing it. With the positive response, we started making t-shirts too and it naturally ended up becoming a brand. But at the moment it’s going, but I’m not so worried anymore, because my main focus is competitions, family. So, I don’t have the pressure of having to do something, but when I generate cool material, I post it. The brand is coming out, slowly, but it’s going. Another cool thing about the channel is that when I make an appointment with the filmmaker and go to the session, it creates responsibility and I end up having more focus. I think, it has to yield. Sometimes, it’s not easy to generate good content in a two-hour session.

Have you been enjoying surfing with different boards: twin fins, fishes, etc?
I really enjoy surfing with different boards. There was a time when I was using a lot of twin fins, fish. So I think every board has a way of making the most of it. Sometimes, even a strange board can give you an alternative line, and that adds a lot. I really enjoy exploring this. During the competition season, one after the other, it’s more difficult, but I like to have a more relaxed surf, with these little boards.

What do you think of the current trial in the WSL?
The current WSL trial has caused a lot of repercussion, but I think it is a very complicated subject. Now, with the public watching, especially in Brazil, it’s a bit like football fans. I watch my team play, I talk a lot, but if I were a football player and I were going to kick the ball, I wouldn’t even reach the penalty area. It is part of our culture; When a guy makes a mistake, the fans say it, even my grandmother did. And this is happening with surfing. The criteria have changed a lot in recent years. When Medina arrived on the circuit and started with some very different aerials, he was very dominant with this type of aerial. As the guys did so many aerials, the judges began to become increasingly demanding and critical of this type of maneuver. Then they started valuing the line and power surfing again, which is really beautiful. I don’t think well-done edge surfing will ever go out of fashion. What happens is a layman looking and saying: how can a rip be worth more than an aerial? But not everyone does a very well-done rip. So, if it’s so simple, why doesn’t everyone do it? I’ve had heats where I thought I was harmed and heats where I think I was helped. Heats that are too close together have always caused disagreement on the losing side. Surfing is a very subjective sport and will always have these controversies.

What is your favorite type of wave to compete in, and which one do you not feel so good on?
The condition I like best is when the sea is big and challenging. This happens very rarely, it is rare to have conditions like this. So, I think it’s an additional challenge to connect with the strong sea, you feel nature more when you have 10 foot waves out of control. It ends up that you don’t worry so much about the competitors and just about survival and connecting with the sea. So this is my kind of connecting with the sea. A while ago, when the waves were small, I had a lot of difficulties, but I no longer see myself seeing that as a disadvantage. I found boards that help me surf in these conditions, epoxy boards, with a lot of volume. So today, waves are no longer a problem.

Have you ever had that little board that you kept just for battery time?
Yes, there’s this little board straight away, but it’s funny because we think the board is really good and you say “I’m going to save it for the drums”, but when you don’t use it for a long time, it seems to be different afterwards. So, this balance of having the board on your foot, crumpled and going confident with it. It’s best to save it for the most important moments. So, you can’t save as much or use as much. This causes confusion when you think a board is really good.