2025 EditionNews
Talking about surfing is talking about Dani García. A legend of Spanish surfing, multiple Spanish and European champion, and one of the surfers who has written his name in gold most often in the history of the Spring Surfest Las Américas Pro. At 52, he surfs by combining his inexhaustible talent with a calm maturity. If he’s in the water, the eyes of anyone watching from the beach always go straight to him. One more year, he returns to Las Palmeras looking to defend his Euromaster +50 title and complete a triple crown [he won in 2023 and 2024], confirming himself as the absolute dominator of the category.
Q: Hi Dani, here we are one more year… Las Américas awaits you again. How are you arriving? Looking forward to it?
A: Yes, one more year… and the truth is I’m arriving with a lot of excitement. I look forward to this event all year long. For me it’s not just a sporting goal: it’s almost a reward. Ending the season in Las Américas, competing and at the same time enjoying a few days there with family and friends, is something I value enormously. And this year, I’m arriving even better. I feel in shape, with great sensations, and with the magical Pukas IN-Carbon board from last year. I’m very motivated.
Q: A year ago you told us you were in your best moment and that you still had a long way to go… What can you tell us today? How do you feel? Is the competitive bug still alive?
A: I hope there’s still a long way to go for Dani — that’s the idea. Every year I feel better. It’s true that I’m not as obsessed now with competing in every contest; I’ve focused more on technically improving my surfing. But as soon as the day gets close or I put on the jersey, I get fired up just like always. That spark is intact.
Q: The spark is still there… Even though you compete less now, you surf more than ever. How are you handling this new reality?
A: Yes, I now work at Wavegarden, and part of my job is to test and fine-tune waves in new facilities and improve the ones already operating. That means that this year, at 52, I’ve probably caught more waves than in any other year of my life. We’re talking about thousands of waves. Thousands. I’m experiencing the artificial-wave revolution from the inside — it’s drastically changing surfing and how far surfers can improve.
Of course, like everything in life, it has its “less perfect” side: my physio, Luis Morales —the physio of the Spanish National Team— literally told me, “No hip can handle more than two thousand waves in two weeks,” which is what I surfed in São Paulo in May. And he’s somewhat right, because my hip complains from time to time. But I’m strong, motivated and ready. For Las Américas 2025, this hip will hold.
Competitively, I did the important part: I won the Spanish Master +50 Championship, I was runner-up in +40, and I won +50 at the Master Surf Reunion in the Dominican Republic, where I also finished third in the Master Overall. I feel good and, above all, really enjoying surfing.
Q: And in Las Américas, what can we expect from Dani this year?
A: The goal is to defend the +50 title, knowing that in surfing anyone can knock you out if you slip or the waves don’t line up. I’ll also compete in +40 because surfing Las Palmeras with so few people is a privilege. I’ll also try to win that, although I’d be satisfied with making the final because the “youngsters” in +40 are incredibly strong. I enjoy this event a lot. If there are waves, I want to make heats just to surf more.
Q: Last year Christian Jiménez took the Euromaster from you and a few months ago he beat you in +40 at the Spanish Championships… Is there rivalry? Desire for revenge?
A: There’s always rivalry, but not only with Christian — with anyone in the heat. And honestly, in those two occasions I was happy for him, especially in Asturias, where he came very motivated from the Canary Islands with his daughter. It’s also true that I had already won the +50 and I was relaxed.
Revenge? Yes, of course I want to beat him this year, but without tension. I’m at a point where I compete very comfortably: more focused on surfing well and improving than on having to prove anything. When you compete without that weight, you enjoy it much more and the surfing flows. If there are waves, this event is one of the ones I enjoy the most all year.
Q: This will be your third year as an ambassador for the event. What can you tell us?
A: For me, it’s an honor and, besides, it’s very easy to be the ambassador of something I love. I spend the whole year telling everyone over 40 to come. What annoys me most is when they later see you surfing those waves, in boardshorts, enjoying the Bitácora hotel, and say, “I should have gone.” Well, then I don’t want to hear any complaints.
The festival keeps growing: it’s more solid, bigger, and a stronger reference every year. Great atmosphere, music, activities, perfect weather, and the peace of mind of knowing that the event always delivers. Masters, juniors, and open competitors appreciate it enormously. The organization puts everything into it, and you can feel that.
Q: The competition that has evolved the most in recent years is the Eurokids, which has become a celebration of European surfing for the youngest. It’s common to see you on the beach watching them compete… What do you think of this event?
A: The Eurokids is amazing. The December long-weekend dates work very well: families travel, there are good waves, and the atmosphere is incredible. I love staying after the Euromaster to watch the juniors compete. As a coach, it’s a luxury for them to surf and compete on a wave like that. It breaks away from the typical beach contest. At Las Palmeras, they have to surf solidly, with adult lines and complete maneuvers.
Here, that flat, “kid surfing” that sometimes scores in bad waves doesn’t work. Competing on a good wave makes them progress a huge amount, even though some get frustrated at first when they don’t get the scores despite the great waves they catch. But the judges are right to be demanding and ask for solid, more adult surfing that matches the wave. For coaches, it’s a golden opportunity to work with them.
Q: Competitively, the big new feature this year will be the Tenerife PRO Spanish Championship. What do you think about the national title being decided at Las Palmeras?
A: I think it’s a great choice. It’s one of the best waves in the country, and the Spanish Championships deserve a stage like this. The best surfers are going to be there, and I think this raises the level of the event.
Q: And now comes the tough one… Who will leave Tenerife as Spanish champions?
A: I’ll take the risk. I’m betting on my son Néstor. I’m very critical of his surfing and I think that even though I’m his father, I’m not too biased — I can say objectively that he’s surfing at an incredibly high level, even if luck hasn’t been on his side this year and sometimes he takes more risks than the judges are asking for or rewarding. He needs to fine-tune a few things, but he has more than enough surfing to win. I don’t believe in luck, but it’s about time things go his way, haha…
That said, the level is enormous. If it’s small, Jacobo Trigo, Yago Domínguez and Sean Gunning —the three goofie standouts— are very hard to beat. And once it gets a bit more solid, Luis Díaz and Andy Criere join that group. Then you have surfers like Rubén Vitoria, Mario Rasines, Moisés Domínguez or Markel Vizcargüenaga. The title is very expensive this year.
In the women’s field, my bet is a “double” between Melania Suárez and Lucía Machado. I’ve coached both of them, both are from the Canary Islands, both are goofies, and when they compete on a good left like Las Palmeras, they can make a big difference. Either of them could take the title.
