Meet Rex Calderon
Rex Calderon is Nicaragua’s national surf champion. He’s one of the most humble and positive human beings we know. We’re so grateful to have him as a surf coach. He doesn’t only teach our travellers, he teaches and inspires all our surf team.
In a small town like San Juan, where kids end up doing either sports or drugs, Rex is the one with the most positive influence to all the kids, lending his precious surfboards to the groms in the bay so they can practice. On days off from our surf camps, Rex comes surfing with us. He usually brings one or two kids and makes sure to help them progress. Rex has both incredible surf skills and an amazingly humble, positive attitude.
What are the Top 3 Moments of your Surfing Career?
- Making the finals at a championship organized by Vans and Gerry Lopez.
- To be the only surfer to represent Nicaragua in the Ecuador ISA World Surfing Games. I was very proud of finishing 29th in the world.
- When I did a tour of Nicaragua to surf the best waves on our coast with the best surfers of my country back in 2008.
If you could surf any wave in the world, what would it be?
G-Land. It looks incredible bro.
Favourite Trick?
Rodeo flip (I only did it 3 times haha).
How would you describe your style of Surfing?
I don’t know… I like airs and aggressive turns.
What do you think Nicaragua has to offer that is unique?
Nicaragua is a small country with many things to offer: colonial cities like Granada, Isla Ometepe, amazing lakes and volcanoes, etc.) There are almost always good winds and high quality waves. The food can seem very simple at first but there is a pretty nice variety if you know where to go!
What is it you enjoy about teaching people to Surf?
What I like is for people to feel safe and have fun. For me, what is most gratifying is when I feel that people get a similar feeling to what I get when I surf.
You have been meeting hundreds of travellers every week. How have they been treating you?
They are very kind to me. They have warm personalities. Spending time with them makes me happy because we share so many stories that last forever.
