Rocío Larrañaga, 60 years old, was the first Peruvian woman to represent Peru in world surfing championships. She now practices Va’a, a new sport with which, despite having to finance her own travels, she already represents the country in different international competitions. (Photo: VÍCTOR CH. VARGAS)
The relationship that Rocío Larrañaga Leonhardt has with the sea is unique. Since she was very young and along the Peruvian coast, she has practiced surfing, paddle boarding, paddle boarding and now Va’a, a Polynesian canoe. In the sea “there is a feeling of well-being,” says this award-winning athlete who in more than 40 years has achieved great triumphs. Not for nothing in 2018 she was honored with the Sports Laurels.
Rocío has just returned from Te Aito Tahiti 2023, a Va’ event that has been held for 30 years in French Polynesia. Traditionally, only people who live on one of the 118 islands and atolls of this paradise in the South Pacific Ocean compete here. This year the call was for everyone, regardless of age, those who practice this sport around the world. Rocío was the only representative from Peru.
To pay for the trip, Rocío sold her sports equipment since she did not receive “a single piece of support.” Her trip to Tahiti had to be so light that she couldn’t even take her paddle because they were going to charge her for extra luggage on each leg of the transatlantic trip. There is a Peruvian Va’a Federation, but it does not have the resources to pay for the travel of its athletes. Despite that, nothing stopped her and now with her Va’a6 team – Izvenia Landauro Urbina, Gianissa Vecco Reyna Farje, Margarita Asmat Mezarina, María Paula Céspedes Delgado, Jendhi Angulo Sánchez, Claudia Luque Rivera, Ornella Sissa Zubiate, Yennifer Marcela Vargas Ore – is selling raffles and organizing parties so that in August they can get to the World Cup to be held in Samoa.
Throughout her career, Rocío, 60 years old, has shown great courage. She was the first woman to compete in national championships where all her rivals were men. She was also the first woman to represent Peru in international surfing tournaments. So far she has participated in 14 world championships in the different disciplines that she has practiced.
#Rocío #Larrañaga #Leonhardt #sea
– 2024-05-14 00:57:51
