Coming from the Mediterranean, Alessandro Piu knows you have to travel if you’re going to score great waves. Well, unless we’re talking about recently in the Med, which has been in overdrive forever.
But it’s one of the reasons Alessandro ended up in Mexico – partly to uncover surfing in this glorious nation, partly to work on a new project called Changing Skin, which you can watch up above. We tapped up Mr Piu to talk us through the flick, which he so eloquently outlays here.
Alessandro
“Changing Skin is about knowing how to adapt to whatever situation or condition is right in front of you. At the same time, it’s a reminder to respect the wildlife and the oceans that cover our world, because at the end of the day, we’re all one on this planet.
“Travelling definitely gave me that extra edge to push my surfing. Besides getting to ride all kinds of waves across different oceans, travelling was huge for building a solid mindset and growing as a man. I think growing up on the move gave me a more grounded perspective on how the world actually works, all the different layers and systems that run it. Being around so many cultures and building real connections with people globally gives you a fuller picture of life. Everyone has their own take, but that’s how I see it.
“Humanity is going through a pretty heavy phase right now that can really throw you off, especially if you’re an empathetic person. But I feel like no matter what’s going down, the world will always be a magical place for anyone who’s open to living a bit outside the box.
“To me, Mexico feels like home. Beyond having a bunch of friends there now, I see so many parallels between my home island of Sardinia and Mexico, culturally and even the landscape. It’s super fascinating. What I love most about people in Mexico is how they communicate; being straight-up and transparent is really valued there, just like in Sardinia.
“Surfing in Italy is having a massive boom, going from a niche hobby to a mainstream sport with more and more young kids getting into it. That growth has put a lot of pressure on the famous spots, though, leading to crowded lineups that we need to figure out how to manage. It’s not just Italy; this is happening all over the Med wherever there are waves. Every country is growing. My worry, though, is that we might be losing a bit of the “core” the true spirit that forged my generation of surfers, both in the water and mentally. But I’m hopeful. We’ll see!”
