Jose Rodriguez came to Galicia 6 years ago. Back then he learned surfing, fell in love with the people and the charming and rough Galician country. It didn’t take him long to decide to stay with his family starting his own surf camp in the sleepy fishing village of Malpica de Bergantiños. Being an active member of the Federación Gallega de Surf (the Galician Surfing Federation) for a few years, he was elected president of the Federation in 2010. This doesn’t make for an outstanding story yet, right? But knowing that Jose is originally from landlocked and mountainous Switzerland does. We met Jose the first time at a Longboard Surf Competition in Nemiña. Asking him how a guy from Switzerland becomes president of a regional surf organization in Spain he answers with his strong Swiss-German accent and a friendly grin: ‘I guess people like the fact that I am Swiss. They connect Switzerland with things that work precisely. Like a Swiss watch. That motivates me to give the best for the Federación”.

May the batteries of the Swiss watch last for a long time!