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By Steve Fitzpatrick
Posted: 6/29/2009
Mothers have a special relationship with their children, so it’s not much of a surprise when they have a big impact on the course of an athlete’s life. Gaby Escudero is no exception.
One of six children to grow up a stone’s throw from the beach in Villamar, Isla Verde, Zaida “Chispa” Dalmau has always been around the water. “My father’s roots were from the Cataluña region of Spain,” commented Chispa, “and he was always boating or fishing or doing something in the ocean.”
In the midst of the golden era of Hobie Cat culture on Isla Verde’s El Ambique beach, young Chispa along with her brother, Kiko, worked as Hobie Cat sail repairers for Jose Rodriguez who ran the rentals there. As a youngster Kiko was a Hobie partner with Quique Figueroa (who became, and still is, one of the world’s top Hobie 16 racers) but opted for the windsurfing craze when it first reached the island via Jeffery Hoyt eventually leading him to represent Puerto Rico as a windsurfer in the 1980 summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Meanwhile, Chispa always stayed close to the ocean until her marriage to Mario Escudero, who’d also grown up around the water in Miramar, took them inland to Guaynabo to raise their family. When Mario Jr. and then Gabriel came along and grew into their elementary school years, Chispa realized that she was removed from her oceanic roots and made a conscious decision to make sure the kids got their beach time, picking them up from school and heading straight for the beach at Pine Grove to while away the afternoons. With so many children in the water at Pine Grove it wasn’t long before both of the boys had a chance to try their hand at surfing. When Mario had gotten it a bit wired he started pushing Gaby into his first few waves and the fire of surf fever was once again lit in the Escudero family.
As is not unusual for surfers, the fever burned somewhat out of control as the boys dropped most other sporting pursuits and commandeered mom into taking them to Piñones in the pre-dawn darkness for an hour or so of surfing before a quick fresh water rinse and a drop off at school. The same usually repeated itself in the afternoons when Mario Sr., who’d picked up the surfing itch again after dropping it as a teenager in favor of tennis, would often meet them to surf with his two young sons.
“Those days were really the core of Gaby’s surfing experience.” remembered Chispa, “He was so funny because he’d always pretend to be asleep when we got home to avoid having to take the boards off the roof. He had a keen ear, or would watch from the corner of his eye, and as soon as he knew the boards had been dealt with he’d slowly wake up!”
Soon both Mario and Gaby were deeply involved with the Puerto Rico Surfing Federation and along with a bevy of other surf families including the Bursians, Toths, Graves, and others, the Escuderos made surfing a part of their lifestyle. It wasn’t long thereafter that the sponsors came calling for both boys, but in the long run it was Gaby who was most able to turn the sport into a career, first competing locally, then nationally around the US and internationally representing Puerto Rico as an amateur, and now internationally throughout Latin America as a professional.
“There was a time several years back when Gaby had all kinds of sponsorship but not much discipline. He liked playing the part of the pro surfer, but he wasn’t taking it terribly seriously.” said Chispa. “I tried to let him know that his surfing could take him wherever he wanted to go if he applied the same kind of discipline to his professionalism that he had during his years as a frothing grom,” she continued, “and when he embarked on his ALAS experience I think he took some of that motherly advice to heart and even surprised himself with what he could accomplish. Since then it’s been one accomplishment after another, and I think a lot of it had to do with simple discipline.”
And like any mother, Chispa just wants to see her boys happy in the end. “Mario is still surfing as much as possible while working as a broker’s assistant at Banco Santander and studying for his Series 7 exam.” she explained. “And Gaby, well if he wants to be ASP World Champion I’m behind him 110% and believe he can do it. But if his current ranking on the ALAS tour is as good as it ever gets for him then I’m happy for him and back him 115%. In the end it’s really all about being happy with your life, isn’t it?”
Spoken like a true mother, and a philosophy that’s damn hard to argue with.
Surf Caribe: You’ve had great success on the ALAS tour. To what do you attribute that success?
Gaby Escudero: I attribute my ALAS success to the great crew of guys with whom I travel and compete: Ernesto Nunes, Diego Salgado, Emiliano Gatica, Sebastian Alarcon, Leandro Usuna, and Josie Graves.
SC: Do you have aspirations to enter the WQS or is the ALAS tour enough to fulfill your and your sponsors’ competitive aspirations?
GE: I love the ALAS tour! For me it’s like a big party more than anything. To be honest, 2009 for me is all about getting shots and video clips. I am lucky enough that my main sponsor, Reef, is not putting any pressure on me to compete. I love to compete because I'm a competitor by nature, but it’s definitely not my priority this year. I don’t really care about the WQS right now.
SC: What is your training regimen like? Are you cross training or working with a nutritionist?
GE: I am starting a training regimen with Victor Tort at the Fitness Gallery gym in Miramar Plaza. As far as nutrition goes I love meat.
SC: Lots of people are surprised when they see the quality of the surf in the Caribbean and specifically in Puerto Rico… What is it that you love best about the surf here at home?
GE: I love that we have about 100 different types of waves to surf and the water is always warm! It’s a great place to come home to after being on the road.
SC: What or who inspires you the most to pursue the surfing lifestyle?
GE: I think surfing gives you a unique point of view on life because we are in constant search of the best waves around and they are usually at secluded locations where there’s little or no pollution. Also, we get to appreciate nature a lot more than the usual working person sitting behind a desk. That state of mind inspires me to pursue the surfing lifestyle. Well, that and chicks in bikinis, too!
SC: So, what does Gaby Escudero have up his sleeve for the future?
GE: Well, I’m one of the new hosts for the local TV Program, Por Los Mares, so along with co-host, Victor “Vitín” Garcia, and Executive Producer, Juan Palerm, we’re out and about shooting footage for, and producing, new episodes of the show. Additionally, I’ve also started Wine & Cheese Productions which is me with my video camera documenting my surfing adventures around the world.
Full Name: Gabriel Escudero
Nickname: Gaby
Date & Place of Birth: December 19, 1985, Hospital Pavia, Santurce, PR
Hometown: Miramar, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Height/weight: 5’9”/150 lbs.
Stance: Goofy
Sponsors: Reef, Suzuki, Smith, Tres Palmas Surf Shop, Beef Agents, Channel Islands, The Lab
Ranking: ALAS Tour – currently 8th
Quiver (number of boards): 99
Surf Crew: Bursians, Toths, Moredas, Graves, Blancos, Charlie Ramírez, Pedro Davila, Joker, JR
High School: Rosa Bell/Class of 2004
Occupation: Pro Surfer
Company: Reef
I started surfing in: 1994 at: Pine Grove
Local surf spot: Aviones/La Punta
Favorite wave: Local: Chatarra Int’l: Desert Point, Lombok, Indonesia
First board: 5’10” Channel Islands – it was thick!
Hot Dog Stick- every day board: 5’10” x 18 1/16 x 2 1/16 Pedro Bataglia
Magic Stick- favorite board ever: 5’11” x 18 x 2 1/16 Channel Islands MBM
Big Wave Gun: 7’4” x 18 x 2 1/8 Channel Islands K Stepup
Best Session: Night Crawlers session at Aviones & Desert Point 2002
Best Contest result: 1st Place King of the Groms at Sebastian Inlet & 1st Place Reef Classic at Montañitas, Ecuador
Favorite Manouver: I love barrels!
Secret Weapon: Air reverse
Workin’ on: Supermans
Dream manouver: Superman Alley Oop
Favorite Surfer: Local - Victor “Vitito” Garcia Int’l - Bobby Martinez
Favorite Shaper: Local - Raymond Rosado Int’l - Al Merrick
Top 5 Surfers: Local - Brian Toth, Ale Moreda, Dylan Graves, Tommy Bursian, Darren Muschett Int’l - Bobby Martinez, Joel Parkinson, Dane Reynolds, Jordy Smith, Kelly Slater
Top 5 Surf dvd’s: North Shore, Alley Up, Stranger Than Fiction, Occumentary, Loose Change
Top 5 Music bands: T. I., Lil’ Wayne, Mgmt, Kid Cudi, Kanye West
Best Post-surf Munchies: Wilito’s pinchos
Favorite Food: Sushi
Tail Slide or Rail Carve? Rail carve
Get Barreled or Get Air? Barrel
Contest Machine or Soul Surfer? Contest machine
Paddle or Tow? Tow
Log or Fish? Log
Epoxy or Polyester? Epoxy EPS
My favorite thing about surfin’ is: that it keeps my soul young.
In ten years I see myself: laid back with my family.
If I’m not in the water I’m probably: cruising with my crew.
You’d never guess I’m also pretty good at: table tennis.
If I couldn’t surf I’d definitely be: a chef.
Most of what I’ve accomplished in this sport I owe it to: my brother who pushed me into my first wave.
I have a recurrent dream about: being a pornstar.
One thing I’d like people to know about me is: that I live the life that I love and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.
Open Mic- Last Words: I want to thank David Simpson, Beef Agents, Reef, Suzuki, Julio Nurse, Jacquelin Camacho, Juan Palerm, Brendan Petticrew, Carlos Cabrero, Por Los Mares, Surf Caribe, and everyone that supports me. Aspire to live your dreams and live as if today was your last day.
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