Meet Unleash’s Head Surf Coach Javier Larco Ganoza!
Unleash’s surf coach Javier Larco, is one of Peru’s best surfers and coaches. He grew up in Huanchaco and Las Delicias, and has spent the last twenty years dominating contests throughout Northern Peru — ranking in the top twelve surfers nationally from 2003–2017.
His surfing skill is matched by his talent for coaching; he is a former national Junior coach for Peru, trained in biometrics, an ISA certified judge and has long run a surf coaching business in Las Delicias.
He’s loved by Unleashers for his calm and precise feedback, his depth of understanding of human movement and his ability to make everyone feel comfortable and confident in the water. He’s got an instinct for adapting to individual learning styles, knows how to accelerate each person’s progress and make it stick.
When did you start surfing?
My dad, my uncle and everyone around me surfed. I started to bodyboard when I was 6, but I kept standing up on the board so it was a natural progression. I started out on my dad’s really old, single fin Hawaiian board and from that moment I decided I would be surfing all my life.
I first started to compete when I was 14 and I won 6th place in the open rankings! That motivated me to compete more, so I pushed myself hard and taught myself a lot. At that time in Peru there wasn’t much in terms of training and resources to support progress, so you had to persevere on your own.
Why did you become a surf coach?
I saw I could help the children in my community by giving back what I’d learned over the years. So I started a surf school in 2003 in Las Delicias, and have been coaching ever since. From the beginning, I recognized how much I enjoy teaching people new things and watching them progress. I kept refining my skills as a coach through professional trainings and after a few years I was selected to coach the Junior National Team in Peru.
What do you like best about working with Unleash Surf?
On Unleash there are different kinds of people with different abilities and they provide new goals for me as a coach.
Many people start from zero and they don’t know anything about surfing and I like being a part of that early progress and formation of surfing skills. It’s gratifying to see how people change — especially their character and personality as they become more confident in the water. I can see how that confidence helps them in their work and in life in general.
Why is Huanchaco a great place for people to improve their surfing?
We have waves everyday! It doesn’t matter if they are really small or really big, you can always find a place to surf and there are different areas for every skill level. There are no excuses not to surf everyday in Huanchaco! The variety of waves makes it a perfect place to learn and progress — which is why I love teaching people here.
What are 3-tips you would give to any surfer to improve?
Try to develop an attitude of perseverance; keep surfing every day and practice, practice, practice! Secondly, eat healthy so you have the energy and stamina to keep practicing. Finally, exercise and cross-train out of the water. That way you can build the muscles and muscle memory that will make you more confident in the water.
Stay tuned for a video soon of Javi’s key cross-training exercises that you can do to get your body primed for your Unleash surf sessions this winter!
With Unleash Surf you get 2 one-on-one surf lessons and 1 group surf lesson a week with our surf coaches. Visit our website https://unleashsurf.com or send us a message on WhatsApp: +19024523417 to join us this winter.
