Daniella Rosas grew up in Máncora, a surf-ringed town in the far north of Peru. From an early age, she had a natural affinity for all sports and excelled at swimming, basketball, football, and taekwondo; a sport where she was South American champion at the age of 12.

However surfing was always the sport she enjoyed the most, and her passion eclipsed her love of other sports. She started competing aged eight and was taken under the wing of legendary Peruvian surf coach Roberto Meza. She also had stints with Sofía Mulanovich’s academy, and the 2004 World Champion has been a huge influence.

At 15 years old, she participated in her first ISA World Surfing Games in 2017, and also became the youngest female surfer to tackle Peru’s famous big wave spot of Pico Alto. In 2019 she won her first QS event and backed that win at the Pan American Games in Lima.

Whilst the pandemic then curtailed her full-time crack on the QS in 2020 she further proved her credentials when she secured her berth at the Tokyo Olympic Games at the 2021 ISA Games. That the other Peruvian spot was taken by her mentor Sofía Mulanovich, 17 years her senior, was further icing on the cake.

Instagram: @daniella.rosas