Interview with Silvana Lima

Let's talk about your life style and especially about your Tatooes, you made a special one for your bell's beach victory.

Yes, I love tatooes, I made one especially for my victory, my first and many to come ...

Are you gonna make one for each upcoming victory ?

Still do not know, depends on the emotion.

What do your other tatooes represent?

All my tatooes have important meaning, they represent people I love

You seem very busy , when not surfing what are your hobbies ?

I practice lots of other sports, tennis, bike.. I love playing tennis, hanging on da beach, going to the cinema, watching movies, playing video games, going to the beach with my dogs Nina and Mel (Yorkshire) and Onda (American Starfordshire).

What about your english lessons ?

Whenever I have time I attend English lessons, I am improving

It's bikini time too, the girls are used by the industry more than the bimbos of the past ?

Currently bikinis are more used by girls, I love being able to surf in a bikini.

Whose surfer inspire you the most ?

I draw my inspiration from Joel Parkinson

Who are your best friend on tour ?

I like Jacqueline Silva, we always travel a lot, but I have friendships with all of them, much more with Rebecca, Bartels, Stef … Sofia…Paige… I have many friends

Who is the craziest girl on tour ? Paige Hareb votes for you, she told me : "Silvana Lima, she rips in the water, crazy airs! And out of the water she does crazy kapa wera (the Brazilian dance) she's one cool chick!"

I do not know ... Everyone is a little crazy.

A word for your shaper Udo Bastos ?

One of the most important people in my life! I have him as a father!

A second for your Dog ?

I have three dogs, WAVE (Staffordshire), Nina and Mel (Yorkshire) I love them!

After an amazing season, the Brazilian surfer Adriana Lima finished at the second place of the Dream Tour. Freaksurf Magazine decided to catch her to know the story of this girl, some kind of female Dane Reynolds who rides as if she was in free surfing, boosting airs an critical manovers no matter the final result. Here is the Silvana Lima style...

Freaksurf Magazine : Bem-vindo ao Freaksurf Magazine !

Can you introduce yourself, where were you born, when, where do you live...?

Silvana Lima : My name is Silvana Lima, I was born in the city of Paracuru, Ceara, Brazil, on October 29 th, 1984. I actually live in Rio de Janeiro Brazil.

FSM : Why did you choose surfing ?

SL : I feel that would be my life since I learnt surfing when I was a child.

Is it hard to become a female pro surfer in Brazil ? You become pro surfer very late?

Here in Brazil I don't have the amount of support and sponsors as elsewhere. In the beginning it was very hard, I already had 18.
But thankfully the Billabong company believed in me

How did you met with your main sponsor Billabong ?

It was through my businessmen, moreover Billabong had already heard about me. Then they arranged a meeting and decided that I would be with the brand. I love them.

No doubt, you are the most progressive female surfers in the world ! You are impressive in Barrels and what about the freaky airs you boost ! Where does come from all this talent?

When I was a child I loved and used to watch men surfing . I like their moves and the radicality. I have always tried to imitate them and was going well ... until I tried to boost an aerial and it worked.

Tell me about your love story with aerial ?

The sensation of hitting an aerial is like gathering my energies, I feel like a bird, only those who perform those manovers can understand the freedom of flying.

Claire Bevo told me she had to change the way she surfs in order to correspond to judges criteria, and that is very interesting. It seems that you don't care and boost airs everywhere?

I don't mind, we have to show what we do the best, and the note is up to them. I cannot stop being me because I would not be natural, this is the Silvana Lima style.

Tell us about your career from the beginning down to the Dream Tour ?

I started in my town as a child, I was 11 years old, competing with men and women There were no male and female categories,
Long after I had the opportunity to go and live in Rio de Janeiro where everything has improved greatly. I could train more, have support from my shaper Udo Bastos. They've started to give me the boards which have helped me to fly higher and higher in search of titles, I was not as difficult as when I started.
I'm very happy to look back , because I appreciate everything I have won and look very hard this first title for my country.

You've won your first Dream Tour trophy at Bell's , can you tell us about this victory?

Bells ... well ... speaking of Bells is always exciting I remember like it was today, I was fine, my equipment too, was a perfect match, had come to my time and God gave me, was the first of many victories to come, go in search of my dream

You've made surfing history too in 2005 scoring the first perfect 10 in asp female history during Billabong Maui pro and you repeated this year !

Yeah, that were two perfect 10 ! The conditions were pretty good hahaha !

Are you still practicing capoeira ? Does it help in your surfing ?

Yes, I practice capoeira whenever I can. I don't know if it helps me to surf ,but it helps me feel good.

What is your training program ?

I love working at the gym, in the beach, other sports have a good diet, and stretching every day is very important.

How are you considered in Brazil ? As an example ?

Yes, in Brazil I'm considered as an example of tenacity and strength. This, regardless of the difficulties that already INFRENT in my life I might be recognized with all the talent I have, people should never give up their dreams.

Did the dream Tour change your life ?

Yes, it has changed my life for the better

You seem very cool , is that the brazilian spirit ?

I am a very happy girl, although I think the times would not change who I am.

I love making friends and I have this knack Brazilian too.

Is this year the brazilian year? you're second, Adriano de Souza 3rd and Jadson Andre 3rd?

This year Brazil is with everything, Adriano de Souza (Mineirinho) and Jadson Andre are surfing very well ...

I'm in great anticipation that we can represent our country everwhere.

What's your relationship with them ?

I know Jadson, I have more retionship with Adriano, I stayed in his house at Bell's. He has a very good energy, I love him also as a person.

Your favorite:

Event : Maui 2005 Bells my first wave in a WCT , note 10

Victory : Bells 2009

Board : 5´8 round pin

Wave : Xanggu-Bali

Track list on your ipod : Eletronic, hip hop, Music Brasil, Jack Johnson

Trip : Indonesia

Select your teameate for a trip to the mentawaiis : Stef, Sofia, Chelsee, Sally, Mel Bartels, Joel Parkinson and Adriano de Souza !

Perfeito !

Muito muito obrigado e boa sorte Silvana!

Thank you and kisses!

Interview by Johann Mouchel for Freaksurf Mag - Photo Credit : Billabong and ASP