'Child of the World' - Chucho Nonnot

Meet Chucho Nonnot, at just 17 years old this young guy already has an incredibly interesting story to tell. Click here to find out.

Meet Chucho Nonnot, at just 17 years old this young guy already has an incredibly interesting story to tell. Oh, and his foiling skills are next level. Read on as Chucho tells us about what makes him tick and some of his recent epic adventures.

My name is Chucho Nonnot, I'm 17 years old and I'm a Waterman. I have both Dutch & French nationalities and I’ve lived most of my life on a small island in the Caribbean, named Sint-Maarten (Saint-Martin). The island is half Dutch and half French, there are more than 120 nationalities that live on this 87 km2 island, so I would say I am a child from the world.

Mystic | View in Mag

Forward WIP | View in Mag

I started surfing 4 years ago in Anglet, France. Since my first wave, I knew I would be addicted to this exceptional sport my whole life. One year later I discovered surf-foiling, which was a crazy invention for small waves. My friends and I saw videos from guys in Hawaii taking wave after wave without paddling or struggling. I was entranced and bought a foil straight away; the evolution of this sport & the gear has gone so  fast since then.

Three years ago I would be amazed by seeing someone take 3 waves pumping without stopping and now I’m crossing islands on my foil. This winter I challenged myself to do an island crossing, by surfing downwind on open ocean swells. Thanks to the F-ONE gear I was able to do 35km in less than 2 hours, I was the first person to cross Sint-Barth to Sint-Maarten foiling. The feeling of staying on foil & surfing for such a long period of time is second to none, I can't recommend it enough.

I had an incredible winter full of experiences in Sint-Marteen, where the conditions were perfect for foiling: lots of wind and small waves! I just spent so much time in the water during my time on the island. Whether it's winging, surf foiling, kiting, or downwinders, Sint-Maarten is a true playground for myself and my family.

After 3 intense months on the island, my sister and I decided to go to Sayulita, Mexico, a little surf town on the West Coast. The food was delicious, the waves were perfect every day and the vibe of the local people was relaxed & friendly, this place is a true little paradise on earth. I was surprised by the possibilities of foiling there, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd find so many amazing spots. 

We were keen to discover more of Mexico's coastline and packed our bags for a 3-day trip. It wasn’t just a normal trip, we didn’t organise anything, we just had our boards, a car and each other. We had no idea where we were going to sleep or spend the day. We ended up driving 3 hours south of Sayulita and found this breathtaking spot. I could see barrels for at least 2km, waves everywhere! It looked like a dream. After spending a few hours sending it on these glassy waves we travelled another 2 hours south. We just couldn't believe our luck, we found another break that might just be even better than the first. The only way to find out was to hit the water for another session!

Cabrinha | View in Mag

AFS Foils | View in Mag

It was refreshing to be in the middle of nowhere, without a phone signal we were able to disconnect from the real world. We slept under the stars and made a small campfire to cook quesadillas. 

Over our time here we came to feel like we were Mike Hynson or Robert August of the legendary film 'The Endless Summer'. Like them, we were exploring the world in search of new waves to surf, the difference for us is the mind-boggling technology of the hydrofoil allows us to look at the waves in a whole new light. We feel lucky to be a part of this growing foiling community.

On the last morning, we discovered that the river just 50 meters from where we were sleeping was full of crocodiles... Pretty terrifying to think that at any moment we could have had a crocodile walk past us. On reflection, it was perhaps worth the risk to have surfed in such a breathtaking spot.

Adventure for me is what life is all about, I am grateful to have experienced a trip like this at such a young age. I'm excited to see what the future holds for us in the rapidly growing sport that is foiling. One thing is for sure, wherever I go the foiling gear will come with me. Whether it be prone, wing, SUPsurf, or downwind the possibilities are endless & I'm truly stoked. See you down the beach!