Leonardo Fioravanti (surfer)

Last updated
Leonardo Fioravanti
Personal information
Born (1997-12-08) December 8, 1997 (age 27)
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight176 lb (80 kg)
Surfing career
Years activeSince 2011 (15)
Best year2023 - Ranked #9 WSL CT World Tour
Sponsors Red Bull, Panerai, Bell by Euroglass, K-WAY
Major achievements
Surfing specifications
StanceRegular (natural foot)

Leonardo Fioravanti (born 8 December 1997) [1] is a surfer who represented Italy at the 2020 Summer Olympics, [2] the first surfer from Italy to compete in the newly-added Olympic surfing competition. [3] He qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Contents

Career

Fioravanti in 2013 Leonardo Fioravanti 2.JPG
Fioravanti in 2013

Fioravanti competed in the 2016 US Open for surfing, pushing himself to compete despite injuries incurred during practice prior to the competition. He was eliminated in the contest, with indications that his injury contributed to his performance. [4] He would go on to compete as the first surfer from Italy to perform at the inaugural Olympic surfing competition, replacing Jordy Smith from South Africa, who dropped out due to an injury. [5] Fioravanti made it to the second round of the competition. [6]

Fioravanti competed in his first stage of the CT in 2013 at the age of 16. In 2017 he reached the world elite for the first time, finishing 26th. [7]

In the 2021 season he achieved his best result yet, finishing 13th. The following year he got off to a bad start and ended up in the mid-season cut. But when he competed in the 2022 Challenger Series, he scored the most points, winning the EDP Vissla Pro Ericeira stage in Portugal [8] and becoming CS 2022 champion and returning to the CT.

In 2023, at the first stage of the season, he had his best result of his career, reaching the final of the Billabong Pro Pipeline and being beaten by Jack Robinson. [9] Leo had his best finish of his career so far, coming 9th in the season and qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics. [10]

In 2024 Leo took part in the Olympic Games for the second time. He was eliminated by Kanoa Igarashi in Round 2. At the 2024 CT he came 22nd place.

In 2025 CT he started the season by reaching the final of the Pipe Pro for the second time in his career and again lost to the defending champion from the 2024 event, Barron Mamiya.

Career Victories

WSL Challenger Series Wins
YearEventVenueCountry
2022 EDP Vissla Pro Ericeira Ribeira D'Ilhas, Ericeira Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal
2020 Sydney Surf Pro Manly Beach, New South Wales Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
WQS Wins
YearEventVenueCountry
2018Martinique Surf Pro Basse Pointe, Martinique Flag of France.svg  France
2014Pantin Classic Galicia Pro Valdoviño, Galicia Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Juniors Wins
YearEventVenueCountry
2013Gran Canaria Santa Pro Junior Las Palmas, Canary Islands Flag of Spain.svg  Spain

References

  1. "Leonardo Fioravanti Surfer Bio". World Surf League . Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  2. "Leonardo Fioravanti". NBC Olympics . Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  3. Caligaris, Francesco (2021-07-26). "Leonardo Fioravanti, spirito olimpico" [Leonardo Fioravanti, Olympic spirit]. Rivista Undici (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  4. Griffin, Renee (2016-07-27). "Leonardo Fioravanti defies a nasty injury but is eliminated from U.S. Open of Surfing". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  5. "Italy's Leo Fioravanti Replaces South Africa's Jordy Smith in Tokyo 2020 Games". International Surfing Association . 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  6. "Olympic Surfing Results". Federal News Network per Associated Press . 2021-07-25. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  7. "Leonardo Fioravanti". worldsurfleague. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  8. "Leo Fioravanti Win 2022 EDP Vissla Pro Ericeira". americansurfmagazine. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  9. "Results - Billabong Pro Pipeline 2023". worldsurfleague. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  10. "Italy's surfer Leonardo Fioravanti earn spots for Paris 2024 Olympics". olympics. Retrieved 9 February 2025.