How An Overlooked QS Warrior Became An Alt-Board Superstar

Despite his unwillingness to say something like this about himself, Victor Bernando was considered one of the most promising surfers of his generation. 

But he quickly found himself inside a box called the QS, and not so quickly found out that it wasn’t the right box for him. 

By 2019, he’d been dropped by his main sponsor. A year later, around when COVID hit, Victor got deported from the US while trying to live there with his American wife. A lot of paperwork later, he was back in the US — but living and working a few hours from the ocean in La Quinta, California. 

Victor had given up on pro surfing, but could never give up on the act of surfing itself. 

With no QS events in sight, Victor broadened his perspective and started experimenting with alt boards on his trips to escape the desert. It clicked. 

And now? 

Victor shows up around the 30 mark in our Stab reader poll, smack between Mikey Wright and Balaram Stack. 

We get to hear Victor’s story in depth in the first episode of the 58 Surf And Turf podcast. 58 Surf is probably the best surf shop in Europe. How do we gauge that? Well, their flagship store in Ericeira has over 300 boards in stock, and you’ll probably want to leave with a right-sized version of most of ’em under your arm. Plus, they’ve got a bar and restaurant on site and host film premieres (like SITD) and parties that go til midnight. 

Try to beat that. 

58 Surf And Turf is hosted by a familiar face — and, frankly, a wonderful one for radio — in BIG DICK POWER SURFER.

Episodes will drop every two weeks and feature anyone from Ericiera legends you’ve never heard of to CT surfers filtering through town.

We’ll share the highlights right here on Stab.