Italo Ferreira lands “air of the century”, announces retirement from pro surfing

"I've been doing this since I was 8 years old, so there comes a time when you really want to take advantage of all the structure you've built."

If it wasn’t for the world champion Italo Ferreira, your ol pal DR might still believe in the magic and perpetuity of true love. In 2019, I profiled the lil man during his world title year, back when he was travelling with the Disney Brazil host and singer from Rio, Mari Azevedo.

Mari had a love song she wrote for Italo, called Voce, and which is still on Spotify and which featured a cover of two lovers’ hands entwined, one forearm dressed in tattoos that was immediately familiar to surf fans. The pair shot the photo on their iPhone, using the timer feature, and Mari designed the cover on her computer.

“Butterflies that were never there come with your scent,” Mari crooned. “The heart of stone you melted… You took care of me in ways that I could never imagine.”

Six years later, Italo is married and baby-baking with another gal, influencer Sofia Larocca, with baby Marty soon to be delivered into this beautiful world. 

Ah, yeah, the transitory nature of relationships, forever loves etc. Stick  to trannies and prozzies, ideally one and the same, kiddo. Trust me. No pain. 

Anyway, yesterday, Italo Ferreira landed what he describes as his first, and maybe the world’s, 720, during a sesh at the world’s best wave pool, the exclusive Boa Vista tank in Sao Paulo Brazil which uses American Wave Machines tech. 

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A post shared by Italo Ferreira (@italoferreira)

“What a VIBE! I’m still in shock,” Italo wrote. 

Much commentary below the precipice debating whether it was a 540 or a 720 and arguing that Kelly Slater had nailed something similar years before. 

“540 ya trippin it’s a 720.”

“540⁰ you can’t count a contact spin as rotation. Try calling that a 720⁰ in a half pipe and you’ll be laughed at.”

“That’s a 540 and Kelly did it on a real wave a long time ago.”

“So you did the exact same air that Kelly Slater did like 13 years ago? Super sick air don’t get me wrong. But facts and truth matter. Words matter. This is a 540 air 180 rollout. In order to do a 720 you have to do two full rotations in the air. You can’t do one and a half rotations and then land and then use them a minimum of the wave to give you the extra 180°. Surfers have been doing that for well over a decade including you.”

If that wasn’t enough thrills for surf fans, Italo Ferreira ain’t that long for the pro tour. In an interview with Hello LA , the tribune for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, he told ’em if he scoops up a second gold he’s out.

Without a doubt, this is my biggest goal: to win another gold medal to complete my career in this sport and on the circuit. It’s a huge achievement, and I know I have a lot of work to do. Until then, I still want to be world champion a few more times.

The next Olympics are my biggest goal, it would be an honor to end my career with another gold medal, and a few more titles under my belt as well.

I’ve been doing this since I was 8 years old, so there comes a time when you really want to take advantage of all the structure you’ve built during that period, enjoy another side of life.

Three years on, Italo Ferreira will be a stately thirty-four.

Too early to unlace the boots and put the ol sword back in the scabbard? Or better to scuttle around the tour until well into or beyond middle-age aka Kelly Slater?