Nude surf event to be exhibition

While the Tambaba Naturist Surf Open is part of the Paraíba Surf Association's competitive calendar, the "Surf nu Pinho" event announced for this weekend in Santa Catarina is only an exhibition. Federação Catarinense de Surf president Fred Leite told us,

"This event is an act of the Praia do Pinho management with athletes invited by the businessman. It's a joint action with the Federation of Naturism commemoration and does not have the character of a championship.

The Catarinense Surf Federation and its athletes have no participation in the event, and also, it is not part of our calendar or our athletes'.

The event is experimental in character and will have the participation of some invited adepts of naturism."

The surf federation was established in 1980 and has 17 affiliated local surf associations throughout the state. For anyone interested in a trip to Brazil combining surfing and naturism, it might be easier to take one after the other. The federation's 2012 calendar lists two events in Balneario Camboriu, presumably at town beaches other than Praia do Pinho, and two at Praia Mole, at the north end of which is the trail to Praia da Galheta naturist beach, described (in Portuguese) with photos here.

Last December a championship at Balneário Camboriu's Praia Central beach determined the state and national professional surf champions. This tournament, with a long list of sponsors including the state and city governments, and a R$8000 (US$4000) top purse, is the sort of benchmark against which the "Surf nu Pinho" event can be compared.

The Tambaba Naturist Surf Open is now an established event. It's happened for five years, and one TV reporter ended his coverage with, "Until next years". The organizers, United Naturists-NU, insured it had all the trappings of a surfing tournament, with official sanction, a panel of accredited judges, and prizes. The surfers (and officials) just happen to not be wearing clothes. The FBrN has no experience in organizing surf tournaments, and Praia do Pinho's news releases haven't mentioned judges and prizes.

Still, the know-how isn't rare: there are plenty of surfers and tournaments in Santa Catarina, and someone from Pinho may have been on Central Beach in December, taking notes.

As Fred said, it's an experiment. When it's over, we'll tell you how it came out.