Padaratz, Neco (1976 – )

Volatile pro surfer from Florianópolis, Brazil; world-ranked #13 in 1997, and described by Surfer magazine in 2000 as "the first legitimate world-title contender from Brazil." Percy "Neco" Padaratz, younger and wilder brother of world tour pro stalwart Flavio Padaratz, was born (1976) in Blumenau, Brazil, began surfing at age nine, and turned pro in 1995 at 18. A broken ankle kept him out of the water for three months in 1996, but he qualified nonetheless for the world tour, and the following...