Carolina Botteri Moebius

After the success of last weeks feature from NYC you would have to travel 3648 miles to visit our next rider.

Sat nicely on the coast between Costa Rica and Chile it's not surprising how wave rich the region is.

Peru being famous for Machu Picchu and the Inca trail with Lima, the capital city being one of the few capital cities in the world located on the coast but it is located in desert as well, one other fact is that the Amazon river and the Amazon jungle start in Peru as well.

More importantly it is home to our next rider so can I please introduce to you Carolina Botteri Moebius...

I am 22 years old and I'm from Lima, Peru.

I started bodyboarding when I was about 7 years old at the Regatas Beach Club, my parents gave me my first bodyboard and I enjoyed it so much.

Since I was child I was a member of the Regatas Beach club.

What I most liked to do without a doubt, was to be at the beach with my friends. At the Regatas Club we have 3 Beaches and the 3rd Beach was where everyone used to surf.

The Beach 3rd beach is where I learned a lot of what I know now and the reason why I am involved in this sport, in fact, they only allowed bodyboarding because before I began bodyboarding there was an accident with a person who surfed and from that day they prohibited its use.

As well as bodyboarding I practiced many sports, I was also part of the football and basketball team of both the club and my school too.

I tried many sports as well as these, but the one I liked the most, was bodyboarding.

I used to surf in the club until 6 or 7 at night and my parents had to look for me at night to get me out of the water, hahaha.

When I was 12 years old I realised that I wanted to bodyboard in a more professional way, so, in 2009 when the Peruvian Inca Challenge was held I decided to go and see that epic show where the best bodyboarders in the world would come.

This is where I met all the pro´s and my current coach and boyfriend ¨Papita¨, here I began my career as a real bodyboarder.

I talked to Papita and I told him I wanted to train in his Bodyboard School (where I work today) and we started a more intensive training schedule for which I sincerely thank my parents.

They are the ones who really supported me at all times and of course my current coach and boyfriend Papita. They always want the best for me…

My bodyboarding heroes are PLC, Nick Gornall, Amaury Lavernhe, Jeff Hubbard, Carlos Papita Sierra.

Peru is full of waves but I try to surf the ones where there are more bodyboarders, for example, Pto Nuevo, Vaquitas.

My favourite break all around the world is Watu Karung, Pacitan for sure in Indonesia, for me the best wave for bodyboarding, left and right, one in front of the other.

My first board was a Sunset Bodyboard (Peruvian brand) when I was 7 years old, then I used a BZ board that belonged to my brother and after this I started using Elemenohpee but in 2011 I tried my first Pride Bodyboard and since that day I have not stopped using them, they are like a Ferrari! believe me.

When I was 11-12 years we had a big crew, we surfed almost every day our local beach break, unfortunately thou, the Club built a pier where we used to surf and the wave disappeared for ever.

Many of the group stopped surfing but I didn't, sometimes we would meet at the club but no longer to surf just to hang out but I did decide to continue bodyboarding.

At the moment I am not competing, I would like to compete in all the APB tour competitions but it's very difficult if you don’t have sponsors that support you with money.

My boyfriend Papita and I are owners of a bodyboard shop in Lima, the capital city of Peru. Our shop is called Bodyboard House Peru we are official and exclusive distributors of Stealth Bodyboards, Pride Bodyboards, stealth fins and Vulcan fins.

Our main objective with the store was to be able to grow our sport and also support those that need it most by providing them with a good quiver so they can continue training and standing out in the sport.

At the same time I work with him in his bodyboard school " Carlos Papita Sierra Bodyboard school"

Related to the sponsor topic: My sponsors Mazda, ISIL, Wetsuits Boz, Nucleo Ltda, Pride Bodyboards and Vulcan Fins, Carve Eyewear and Blu Ice Cream Shop and the best support is definitely from God, my family, my boyfriend and my friends J

I think that an outstanding athlete should be sponsored by private companies to be able to continue with his/her career, continue travelling, training and improving their level to always be ready for any competition

and be able to achieve his or her goals.

Here in Peru we don’t have a bodyboarding clothing brand :( Maybe in a future we can do one or bring one that already exists.

I really listen to all kinds of music… What really motivates me more before surfing is watching good bodyboarding videos.

One memory that sticks with me is the day I won the ISA World Championship in Chile.

One of my many dreams that came true, it was a moment of absolute happiness that I will never forget."

Photo credits include:

@enriquerodriguez_1

@thiago_okazuka_photography

Carolina thank you for sharing your story with us it was a pleasure sharing it with others.

Next week we are back in SA where we catch up with James Clayden... until then.....

In association with......

VAN LIFE PRODUCTIONS