Leonardo Fioravanti has spent years knocking on the door of the world tour's top ten, and this season he finally kicked it down. Sitting at number one for the first time in his career, the Italian caught up with Carve's Joel from a flight to Tokyo, mid celebration lap through Europe and heading straight back into the grind. He talked about the road that got him here, his long working relationship with coach Dog Marsh, the Italian surf scene he's helped build, and what it actually feels like to carry the Yellow Jersey.

Sitting top Dog in the Yellow Jersey. I guess this was always a dream, but at what point did you really believe you could achieve it?

Becoming world number one has always been a dream, but for me it was more about the steps that get you there. There wasn't really a single moment where I believed I could do it. It built over the last couple of years. In 2023 I made the top ten, so I told myself, okay, I'm in the top ten now. 2024 was a bit of an off year. Last year I finished ninth again, tied my 2023 ranking, but if you looked at my heat average, at how I was actually surfing, there was so much positive in there. Any heat I lost, I was right there in it. Heading into this year the belief was much stronger. The goal was to win an event and to be consistent. Consistency has always been something we've worked on, and this year I finally got it. But to be number one you need those finals and those wins too, and things have been happening the last couple of events off the back of consistency through the first four. That's what got me here, and hopefully I can hold onto it.

I remember first seeing you as a tiny grom in Brazil, ISA Juniors 2006. You've been competing internationally for over 20 years. What is it about competition that you love?

I've always been a competitive kid. There's so much good in competition, the good and the bad both teach you so much in life. It's taught me respect, patience, humility. It's been the best school I could have had. I know that for the rest of my life I'll be ready for any mental hurdle because of the years I've spent competing, and because I understand there's more to it than winning. The beautiful part of competing and travelling the world is the experiences you live and the people you meet along the way. Competition has given me everything, and I'm grateful for the life it's given me. It also means a lot to represent Italy. I've been alone out there representing my country for most of my career, and that gives me a huge amount of pride.

For many people you've been the most improved surfer on tour the last couple of years. Has there been anything specific you've worked on in the off season, and how did you go about it?

When I got back to working with Dog at the start of 2025, the big focus was improving my surfing and my training, and working on my mental side. Winning events and becoming world champion were always the end goals, but the real work was in those three areas, because if I become a better surfer, I have a better chance of winning. It's been a road of improvement, and the biggest shift was really leaning into what I already know how to do. Not copying anyone, but trying to perfect my own game, with some variety worked in. I've realised my power surfing is my strong point, and if I keep building on that it can take me a long way.

You have a long relationship with Dog Marsh. Outside of events, what work goes on between you two?

We both live part time in France, so when we're home we get to do some of that work in person, though we travel so much these days that home time is rare. Even when we're apart we're always sending footage back and forth, me sending him clips, getting his feedback, pushing our surfboard knowledge to get the best board possible under my feet. We're always trying to perfect the front side and the back side. Dog is inspiring to work with. The amount of effort he puts in, both on the competition side and the improvement side, is amazing, and working with someone that dedicated pushes you to match it. I think that's part of why I'm so dedicated myself.

How are you preparing for the next event in Tahiti, and what will be a pretty back to back schedule until the Pipe Showdown?

I had a good few weeks off, went to Europe, and Italy went a bit crazy with this run of results. It was really cool to see, and I enjoyed celebrating with everyone, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. We're only halfway through the year and the road is long. Right now I'm heading to Indo for a surf trip, which will be a great chance to let go and get back to the roots of why we do this, surf trips, just surfing, hopefully getting barrelled. After that it's early to Tahiti and back into preparation like always. The routine doesn't change. The first six events of the year were heavily back to back, and I performed my best in the last two of those six, so that tells me I can handle a long stretch on the road without burning out. I'm excited for the second half of the season.

There were more than ten Italian surfers in last week's WSL Euro Pro Junior. No doubt you've played a role in that growing scene. Do you feel like you've created a pathway and inspiration for them, and are you able to stay connected to Italian surfing?

I hope I'm some kind of inspiration, and I know I am, because I have kids coming up to me all the time telling me how much I've inspired them. I take that as a real honour. When a kid tells me they started surfing because of me, it means a lot, and I always try to stay connected with my Italian fans and the Italian scene. There are a lot of amazing young surfers coming through, and the next five to ten years will be exciting to watch as that new generation develops. I'll always be here to support and give advice to any Italian surfer, or any European surfer, who needs it.

Which Europeans did you look up to for inspiration growing up?

Jeremy, Miki, Aritz, Michel, Thiago. They were the pioneers of world tour surfing in Europe, and I'm still inspired by what they achieved. I think they shaped the path for the rest of us to follow.

Which European do you think is most likely to qualify and join you on the World Tour?

Lucas Skinner. He rips, genuinely rips. I can't wait to see what he does when he gets on the Challenger Series. He's a complete surfer, barrels, turns, airs, all of it. Really inspiring to watch.

Are you able to enjoy being number one, or does it feel like a target on your back?

I'm able to enjoy it. It's a really special moment in my career and I think I'm taking it the right way. It doesn't feel like pressure and it doesn't feel like a target, it feels like a cool achievement, and I'm very aware that you can lose it at any moment. But it's still something great to have reached in my career, and I hope I can hold onto it. If I don't, it's not the end of the world. I just know I have to keep giving it everything, stay on the same path. It's going to be really nice to finally get that Yellow Jersey.

There are plenty of super talents on tour, Medina, Toledo, Italo, Griffin. What is it that lets you compete with and beat them?

The belief and the warrior side of my competitiveness comes out, and my surfing has genuinely improved a lot. I've shown the last few years that yes, I can lose, but whoever's against me needs to surf really well to beat me. That's what I want to keep proving, staying consistent. My heat strategy has been a real strong point, and I've worked hard on the mental side too, being patient, knowing you can come back from any position. That self belief is there now. In surfing, and in any sport, self belief is everything.

Who are your favourite surfers to watch?

Andy, I've watched him a lot throughout my career. Parco, Mick, and Kelly. Those four are the GOATs, and I'll always put them on to get fired up.

The best thing about wearing the Yellow Jersey is...

Knowing that whatever happens from here, I'm always going to have worn a Yellow Jersey. That's something nobody can take away, and it's going to be pretty special.

Halfway through the season and sitting at number one, Fioravanti heads into the back half of the year with Indo, Tahiti and a stacked run of events ahead of him. If the first six contests are anything to go by, the Italian is only getting started.

Photos: WSL
Words: Joel Gray