memmo Surf Talks

1st edition 2023

On 9 December 2023, Memmo Baleeira in Sagres hosted the 1st edition of Memmo Surf Talks, an event that brought together big names from the world of surfing and maritime culture.

The event was hosted by João Valente, founder of SurfPortugal magazine. Notable guests included João Bracourt, a renowned photographer from the Algarve whose reputation and work are recognised nationally and internationally, who presented what has been described as "the best surf photo book in Portugal", according to João Valente - the Oestrymnis book. Also present, as a special guest, was Australian Peter "Joli" Wilson, considered the surf photographer of the century. 

In the audience were some well-known personalities such as Tiago "Saca" Pires, one of Portugal's best ever surfers, and Ruben Gonzalez, a four-time national champion. Álvaro Costa, founder of Polen Surfboards and representative of Pyzel, and Ricardo Bravo, renowned photographer and editor of surf photography in Portugal, further enriched the experience of this event. Also contributing to the success were local figures such as Charlotte, Uwe (the only local shaper), António Ferreira (promoter of Carrapateira as a Surf Village), Amélia from Surf Planet, João and Marta Mealha, among others.

A welcome cocktail preceded the event, which took place for two hours at the end of 9 December in the Fireplace Room of memmo Baleeira Hotel, in an intimate atmosphere with the 50 participants present.

Two photographs by João Bracourt remain as a tangible souvenir in the Fireplace Room, enriching the experience and capturing the singular beauty of Sagres.

João Valente (GUEST)

João Valente founded SurfPortugal in 1987, the first Portuguese surf magazine, where he spent almost 30 years, during which he elevated the magazine to reference title in the international surf media panorama. Since 2016, he has been writing scripts and producing video content. He teaches the Historical Evolution of Surfing Performance subject at the Universidade Lusófona in Lisbon. João is a guest editor for Visão Surf magazine, a columnist on multiple surfing websites and a specialized commentator on Sport TV channel. He currently works as a producer and journalist on FUEL TV channel. In his spare time, he weekly records the almost successful Boia Podcast.

João Bracourt (GUEST)

João Bracourt is an enigmatic Portuguese surf photographer, known for his immersive and incisive approach to the sea, always influenced by the magnetic, abysmal, almost unreal ambiance of Sagres, in the extreme corner of Europe. His images document the seas that lash this sacred promontory. His work is regularly published in the best magazines and venues around the world and he was a finalist in the Redbull Illume photography competition. He is also the author of the book Oestrymnis, released in 2021.

Peter 'Joli' Wilson (SPECIAL GUEST)

At the age of 12, Peter 'Joli' Wilson received a Kodak Instamatic camera from his godfather, a renowned photographer and filmmaker. At 14, he bought a surfboard and printed his first roll of film with his grandfather. His first "real" photographic job was with the Australian Defense Department. He then worked at Deakin University in the Department of Photography. In the early 80’s, Quiksilver asked for his services as head of its Marketing and Advertising Department. In 1989, together with his wife Jan, he set up Joli Productions. With 30 years of freelance work, Joli has seen a lot, from World Tour events to free surfing, from Slater's 11 world titles to being asked by the pros to photograph a rare Easterly swell.