Rio Waida was born in Saitama, Japan in 2000 to an Indonesian father and Japanese mother. Both parents surfed and when they relocated to Bali when Rio was five years old it was inevitable that their son would take up the sport.

An early medical condition, which required treatment of growth hormones, initially stunted Waida’s development. However, by his teens he was considered one of the famous surfing Island’s best young talents.

In 2016 he had his breakout result when he won the Quiksilver Young Guns Surf event, beating an international field of the world’s best teenager years. The $10,000 prize money was then a life-changing amount. Sponsorship by Quiksilver soon after then helped Rio have access to travel and international competition, something that a lack of financial security had denied him in the past.

Waida possesses an incredible technique, based around speed, tube riding, timing, and a big air game, all a function of being able to surf the world’s best waves every day. Such is his talent he remains the best bet to be Indonesia’s first CT surfer. His qualification for the Tokyo Olympic Games, secured at the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games, only served to add to both his experience and reputation.

Instagram: @riowaida_