“WE WILL HAVE THE BEST SURFING HIGH-PERFORMANCE CENTER IN THE WORLD”

The Peruvian surf team was crowned champion for the third time at the 2018 Pan American Surfing Games. This event gathered 300 surfers from 20 countries and took place from December 2 to 8, at Punta Rocas beach. Peruvian athlete and Lima 2019 Ambassador, Benoit “Piccolo” Clemente, became champion in longboard and qualified for the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

“Piccolo” Clemente visited the future Surfing High-Performance Center in Lima. “I’ve seen the construction of the Surfing High-Performance Center has already started and how the portable office containers are being placed. We were given glimpses of what this great center will be. I’m sure that what is being built will be the best Surfing High-Performance Center in the world because it will have amazing facilities. We were shown the blueprints and it’s really awesome.”

The Peruvian two-time longboard champion also said that “with all the infrastructure that is being built and will remain for the athletes, Peruvian sports will be extensively developed.”

Benoit is also a Lima 2019 Ambassador. “It’s an honor and a responsibility being a Lima 2019 Ambassador. I’m very excited about it. I’ve been working for Lima 2019 for a year and a half, sharing information about the sports and values of the Pan American and Parapan American Games.”

About his participation at the Pan American Surfing Games where he won the gold, Clemente said “I took part in a championship in Taiwan and arrived one day and a half before the Pan American Surfing Games. I accommodated my schedule and I had the chance to relax. These Pan American Games were very important because a direct quota for the Lima Games was also given and the best surfers in the continent came, from countries that did not come before such as the United States, Canada and Barbados.”

“In the Pan American Surfing Games we had 1.5- and 4-meter waves, but for the Games in July and August there will be better waves. I claimed the first place, and Lucas Garrido obtained the bronze medal in longboard too,” he added.