A soon to be new family member of the Windansea Surf Club has recently cemented his reputation as he dominated in the 2018 Malibu Call to the Wall. Ripping in his long board heat, Phil Rajzman, age 36 carved his way to the finals, achieving first place. His strong yet fluid style won over the judges as he ran back and forth playing tag with the nose and floating across sections on his hi comp Hobie board.
Also joining Phil on his winning streak was his 11 year old daughter Raphela. Both tandem surfing Malibu’s first point as a father daughter team and pulling through with a solid win in the finals. Competing against long time tandem teams and winning the event as new comers is almost unheard of, but the Brazilian team Phil and Raphela make it appear easy.
Phil was recently recruited into the club not too long ago by his old time friend Joel Tudor. The two have been competing and surfing with each other since they were fifteen in Phil’s first contest at Makaha in the 1997 world tour.
Coincidentally Call to th wall is the first contest Phil and his daughter have been in together. Raphela's uses her knowledge of Olympic gymnastics to help her father out in the water with his balance as she performs advanced lifts above his head. The fatherly pride for his daughters excellence shines through Phil’s smile as we talk on the beach, and the excitement of being in her first surf competition is evident in Raphela as she jumps around preforming her gymnastics tricks on the sand. In preparation for the contest Raphela and her father spent hours practicing together, her enthusiasm to explore more advanced lifts and improve has clearly paid off.
The duo made a wonderful impression to the beach and have proven themselves to be surfers our club is proud to have as apart of our family.
About Phil...
Phil Rajzman @philrajzman - originally from Brazil, now lives in Encinitas with his wife and daughter. 2X World Longboard Champion and known for his progressive style and smile. Sponsored by Hobie Surfboards. Since the interview with Phil at Malibu he won the Oceanside Longboard Contest and we are looking forward to seeing him represent Windansea at the next MSA event this weekend.
About the writer...
Hana McEvilly @hanjaaaaaa - Second generation Windansea member, currently studying sustainability at University of Hawaii, Manoa and enjoying the surf on the south shore.