Mariana Rocha Assis oozes energy. When her classmates enter the room for the first lesson of the day at the University she already spent a couple of hours in the water, returning to the ocean in the afternoon whenever conditions call for it. On top of this, Mariana spends countless hours cruising her hometown streets on her skateboard, or freestyling at the local skate park – no wonder she's an international stand out having won the Bowl Jam in Japan in 2017. Overlapping the duties of a college degree student with WQS's tough life, she does not lose sight of her main goal in the short run: qualifying for the WWT in the next couple of years.

Training spot: Poça

Favorite wave: Uluwatu

Favorite maneuver: barrels

Best quality: perseverance

Worst flaw: impatience

Heroes: Kelly Slater

One song: Catch & Release – Matt Simons

One film: Point Break

Favorite activities: skating, riding a horse

Secret talent: It’s a secret, I’m not telling you… ;)

If I knew the World was going to end in 24 hours… I would be in Indonesia with all my friends, surf perfect barrels all day and have a sunset party at the beach!

If I found a genie in a bottle… I would ask for everything I want

I am the greatest at: throwing parties at home when my parents are away

I totally suck at: cleaning

I cannot resist: açai

Life motto: To live like there is no tomorrow!

Xhapeland in one sentence: Family