Andrea carvalho Dias

How exciting, with the 2019 APB Tour about to kick off in Itacoatiara, Brazil..... What better way to celebrate than to feature a Brazilian!

The whole bodyboarding community is buzzing in anticipation of the upcoming 2019 season and my gut feeling is that it will be even more intense and exciting than last year..... and who knows those Saffas may even be toppled from dominating the top of the rankings (sorry Jansje❤️😉)

Brazil is another talent hot spot for producing world class bodyboarders both male and female but possibly has the most accomplished female riders the world has seen.

Some of the heaviest waves on the planet and some of the hungriest wave chasers going please let me re-introduce you to Andrea Carvalho Dias....

"AKA Andrea Carvalho or Deinha, it depends if you met me when I was married, single or started competing.

My age ? Well that is a secret 😉

I can say that I finished my bachelor’s degree and a Masters degree in the USA.

I am currently working on my Ph.D., so I can say that I am not young because I had to stop my education many times to compete on the Bodyboarding World Tour.

I am Originally from Brazil, I moved to Hawaii in 2005.

I lived in Oahu for 10 years and moved to the blessed Island of Maui in 2016.

I started bodyboarding when I was 15 years old, I got into sports late because I was born with a congenital heart defect. I was only officially allowed to practice sport when I was 11 years old.

I got into bodyboarding because it was popular in Brazil, also my parents had a vacation home in a town where Akemi and Elimara Saito lived, the Saito sisters introduced me to Bodyboarding competitions.

I think my hero growing up was Superman but I do not remember.

My first surf break was Praia dos Pescadores (Fisherman's beach) Itanhaem/Sao Paulo/Brazil.

Then, I moved to Florianopolis/Santa/Catarina Brazil, and my local break was Praia Mole (Soft Beach).

In Oahu I like Rocky left (North Shore) and Kewalo’s (SouthShore) here in Maui, I love the entire Island.

In Brazil, my preferred break is in Garopaba/Praia da Ferrugem.

I love so many places in the world it would be hard to name my favourite.

My first board was a Morey Boogie Mach 7-7.

I was part of different bodyboarders gangs during different times of my life. There was a time that there was three of us myself, Bel and Neca, we were addicted to exercise.

Then came the national competitions and school and my crew was Eve and Carol. The three of us moved to different countries to continue our education (Eve/Australia and Carol/Spain). I am the only one who is still working on it, my friends are doctors already! Then, came the bodyboarding World Tour, and I travelled most of the time with Maylla, Soraia, and Izamar.

I competed for many years, I got so many things from Bodyboarding…I got good sponsorships in Brazil and USA, scholarships, and many friends all over the world.

I had the opportunity to travel around the globe, and I fell in love with sports psychology because of the competitions.

I do not compete anymore, but I can show up at some event to say “HI” to everybody.

Below you can see my contest stats for my career....

13TH PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2017

11TH PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2015

10TH PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2014

27h PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2013

CHAMPION OF THE “MAGOITOINTERNATIONAL EVENT” IN PORTUGAL 2012

29th PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2012

3rd PLACE IN THE USA NATIONAL TOUR 2010 and 2011

24th PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2011

17th PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2010

4th PLACE IN THE USA NATIONAL TOUR 2009

16th PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2009

17th PLACE IN THE WORLD TOUR 2008

3rd PLACE IN THE USA NATIONAL TOUR 2007

2nd PLACE IN THE USA NATIONAL TOUR 2006

CHAMPION ON THE PRO ATHLETE'S TRAINING CENTER "ARAGUA/MORMAII"/2004 (BODYBOARDING DIVISION)

2nd PLACE ON THE PRO ATHLETE'S TRAINING CENTER "ARAGUA/MORMAII"/2003 (BODYBOARDING DIVISION)

4th PLACE IN SANTA CATARINA STATE/BRAZIL2003 (PROFESSIONAL DIVISION)

4th PLACE IN SANTA CATARINA STATE/BRAZIL2002 (PROFESSIONAL DIVISION)

2nd PLACE IN SANTA CATARINA STATE/BRAZIL 1999 (AMATEUR DIVISION)

3rd PLACE IN SANTA CATARINA STATE/BRASIL 1998 (AMATEUR DIVISION)

3rd PLACE IN SANTA CATARINA STATE/BRASIL 1997 (AMATEUR DIVISION)

2nd PLACE IN SANTA CATARINA STATE/BRAZIL 1996 (BEGINNERS DIVISION)

Today, I bodyboard for fun. I have a master’s degree in Sport Psychology and I have a small practice where I offer mental training services to other athletes, I am a mental performance consultant.

I ride the science bodyboards because it reminds me of the old Mach7-7. Mike Stewart (science owner) was designing bodyboards for Morey Boogie during that time and I think he kept a similar shape on the Science Bodyboards. I have a collection of different fins, multiple shapes and sizes because if my feet get damaged in a particular place, I change the fin model.

I do not have sponsors today, but I would like to be sponsored as a free-bodyboarder and Mental Performance Consultant. I am writing some sport psychology articles for magazines and websites and I can advertise my sponsors. I also write newsletters and blog posts on my professional athlete website and mental performance consultant website.

I buy from ebodyboarding(online) and science.

I like different music like electronic, reggae, Hawaiian music, pop, and relaxation songs, it depends on the moment. Sometimes I listen to audio lectures or audiobooks when I am driving to surf because I cannot steal time from my studies to bodyboard.

I have so many good memories, the one that comes up right now is during a weekend in Garopaba/Brazil.

I was there to compete and the waves were stormy and big. I got in the ocean to practice with the guys, the paddle out was challenging and when I finally got outside, a huge set came and hit everybody. I was an amateur athlete and the only girl outside with the male professional bodyboarders.

I remember when we looked to the horizon and we saw the big set coming… we knew that there was no hope, the big waves would break on us, at that moment, Ronaldo Figueredo looked at me and said “we are in trouble!”.

I laughed and we were hit and smashed by many waves but I did not care, during that time, bodyboarding was the only bridge to achieve my dreams. I wanted to travel, become a professional athlete and return to school. I wanted to become a professional bodyboarder so badly that I did not care for anything else. I wish I could keep that “I will-no matter what” committed attitude in many other areas of my life today!

Today, my story is moving in another direction. I feel blessed and I want to share the “opportunities” or “gifts” that I received with other people.

I think that when I die, I will meet the Man who created everything and he will ask me and I will say:

"Well, life was not easy. It was not easy to compete in the Bodyboarding World Tour and study at the same time. It was not easy to be an immigrant and graduate student in psychology in the USA (especially during the Trump era). There were times that I cried, I froze, I doubted myself and procrastinated but I am sure that I put my best effort to overcome adversities and as a mental performance consultant, I was able to help other athletes achieve their dreams in the same way I achieved mine.

Please come check out Insta: @athletes_treasure

and click on the pic to be directed to my website......