Jed Graça

As a Parede Beach local, the mecca of stand paddle in Portugal, Jed is one of the most experienced and respected Portuguese SUP riders today. Carrying three different cultures in his DNA (he was born in Switzerland to an Italian mother and Portuguese father), Jed has an easy-going way of adapting to different people and situations, making new acquatainces wherever he goes. After moving to Cascais in the late 90’s, he craved for the ocean as a replacement for the Swiss mountains, got a surfboard and started surfing. Years later, he bought a stand-up paddleboard online, learnt how to ride it on YouTube and became one of the very first SUP wave riders in Portugal. He knows how to please the jury in SUP competitions but would rather chase perfect waves along the coast on every given day. The original SUP ambassadors worldwide, Dave Kalama and Laird Hamilton, are his main references.

Nickname: Jed

Birthday: 08-08-1970 - 52 years old

Surf Spot: Parede

Height: 1,72 m

Weight: 72 kg

Stance: Regular

Magic board: WANTED SUPBoard 7'5 by Luis Lacrau

Training spot: Parede, Bafureira, Carcavelos, Guincho, Costa

Favorite wave: Ribeira d'Ilhas

Favorite maneuver: Roller Frontside

Best quality: being positive

Worst flaw: being impatient

Heroes: Dalai Lama

One song: Baltimore – Nina Simone

One film: Endless Summer

Favorite activities: yoga

Secret talent: being creative

If I knew the World was going to end in 24 hours…I would go to the Maldives and ride my SUP board with my sons!

If I found a genie in a bottle… I would ask him to make me capable of flying!

I am the greatest at: dreaming

I totally suck at: cooking

I cannot resist to: chocolate

Life motto: Follow your dreams and don't quit!

Xhapeland in one sentence: Xhapeland gives you wings to surf