Young surfer Sunny Pires, just 18 years old, is breaking barriers and becoming an example of innovation in the world of sport. Born and raised in Búzios, in the Lakes Region of Rio de Janeiro, Sunny stands out as one of the promises of the new generation of Brazilian surfing, accumulating titles and records from an early age.
His career in surfing is marked by significant achievements. Sunny was three-time Hang Loose Surf Attack champion (2016, 2017 and 2018), two-time Rip Curl Grom Search champion (2017 and 2018), runner-up on the under-14 Brazilian tour in 2018 and under-12 Pena Little Monster champion in 2016 In 2022, Sunny was six-time state champion in Rio de Janeiro in the under-18 category.
In April this year, during the Saquarema Surf Festival, Sunny Pires stood out by breaking the historic record of the Pro Junior competition, achieving the highest score in the category, a 9.33, surpassing the previous record of 9.20 set by Diego Aguiar the previous year.
Innovative Cryptocurrency Sponsorship Is a Historic Milestone
Despite her success, Sunny faced challenges when seeking traditional sponsorships that were truly meaningful to compete in Brazil and abroad. It was in this context that the Web3especially the community Nounsemerged as a transformative opportunity in his career.
In an innovative move, Sunny became the first Brazilian professional surfer to be sponsored by a Web3 community. This sponsorship model, a pioneer in sport, provides for payments in cryptocurrencies (Ethereum or USDC) through proposals and projects submitted to a vote in the community.
Thanks to sponsorship from Nounsbr (the Nouns community in Brazil), Sunny had the opportunity to compete in three championships in Brazil in 2022 and spend two months in Hawaii in 2023. This experience provided him with the opportunity to improve his skills in some of the best waves in the world. world, in addition to expanding its network of contacts.
In May 2024, Sunny and her team embark on an expedition to Nicaragua to film a documentary series about the conquest of a volcano on behalf of Nouns.
The project involves the production of a two-episode docuseries. Sunny’s team, made up of a screenwriter, filmmaker, coach and entrepreneur, will travel to Nicaragua between May 23rd and June 4th. The expedition promises to offer surf scenes, volcanoes and immersion in local culture.
In addition to improving her surfing skills and preparing for future competitions, Sunny aims to demonstrate how Web3 and its communities can be viable alternatives for athletes looking to sponsor and boost their careers. The documentary series will be released by Flamboiar, surf media, but will also be available under a Cc0 license, allowing other channels to also publish the content.
“I’m excited to be the first Brazilian athlete to receive sponsorship from a web3 community, like Nouns. This has not only allowed me to compete internationally, but also opened doors for innovative projects, such as our upcoming expedition to Nicaragua, showing how Web3 is transforming the sport,” said Sunny.
The “Nouns” DAO operates in the world of NFTs, with daily auctions accessible via site. Participants acquire NFTs and gain voting power to influence community projects. The funds raised do not go to the founders, but to a collective treasury managed by the community, financing projects such as distributing glasses to needy children in the USA and a docuseries with Sunny in Nicaragua, based on criteria such as creativity and a well-crafted pitch.
Sunny reinforces that receiving support from Nouns not only boosted his surfing career, but also allowed him to explore new opportunities for personal and professional growth.
“I look forward to sharing our journey in Nicaragua and inspiring other athletes and entrepreneurs to consider new sponsorship models in the Web3 era,” he highlighted.
Richard Dayan, the athlete’s Brand Manager, highlighted that, when analyzing Sunny’s ability and visibility, it was clear that his exceptional career in surfing and his commitment to innovation make him an ideal candidate for an individual project.
“We created a personalized strategic plan for him, we are maximizing his potential while highlighting the relevance of Web3 and DAOs in the sports scenario”, he explains.
Web3 and DAOs: transforming the future of surfing and sport
Sunny stands out as one of the first athletes to bring web3 to the world of professional surfing. Web3 represents a new era on the internet, offering users greater control over their data and online interactions.
Unlike the centralized model of Web2, Web3 seeks to decentralize power through technologies such as blockchain and smart contracts. This change allows direct negotiation between peers, improving privacy and security in online activities.
“Sunny is at the forefront of this revolution, understanding how decentralization can benefit not just surfers, but the entire sporting community. Web3 offers users greater control and security, and Sunny is taking this opportunity to lead the way towards a new paradigm in the world of sports. DAOs, in particular, promote a culture of transparency and democracy that resonates with Sunny’s values as an athlete. We are excited to be part of this transformation, and Sunny is showing how technology and sport can come together to create a brighter future for everyone involved”, concludes Richard.
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