Filipe Toledo represents the tip of the spear in today’s progressive surfing movement. Small in stature but massive with his moves, especially in the aerial realm, this Brasilian tornado’s heart-pounding approach has netted him eight Championship Tour victories since his CT debut in 2013. He’s a second-generation pro who grew up outside of Ubatuba, Brasil. His father, Ricardo, was two-time national champion back home. In 2014, as his career took flight, Filipe convinced his entire family to move to San Clemente, California. Today, Filipe’s wife and baby are the newest additions to their legendary backyard barbeques. According to his peers, Toledo’s volatility is the only thing stopping him from achieving his dream of a World Title. His high-flying act makes him vulnerable to injury (he sat out two events in 2016) and his youthful passion has led to a series of costly mental errors (he was suspended for one event in 2017 for his behavior in the wake of an interference call). His breakout year came in 2015, when he won three events and finished No. 4. In 2019, he battled for the World Title at Pipeline, finishing the season at No. 4 on the Jeep Leaderboard.