February 22, 1988 // Santa Catarina, Brazil
Synopsis: With a win at the ISA World Junior Games in the Under-18 division in 2008, as well as a ninth place finish in the Billabong World Juniors, Alejo Muniz is emerging as the next Brazilian to make a run for the WCT. A solid performance on the North Shore this winter bolstered a solid competitive year.
Variables: The same question faces most Brazilian’s emerging on the international scene: Can they shake the stigma associated with surfers from their country?
Forecast: Alejo runs the risk of being a contest “grinder,” but he has made active strides toward fulfilling the freesurfing hole in his repertoire. Solid performances in solid surf in Hawaii indicate that Alejo may have some staying power.