14 July 2014
We are taught that once even the Dolomites were covered by the Mediterranean Sea, and proof is provided by the fossils and shells that can be found at high altitudes. Perhaps this is why even in Valdobbiadene there is someone who has always dreamed of surfing on the waves of the sea. His name is Luca Bressan and he has founded Solo Surfboards in the mountains of Veneto, a small self-managed enterprise for the manufacture of handcrafted boards. The idea is to use only natural materials, and thus no fiberglass and synthetic glues, just wood and waxes. On top of the vision required, the challenge has also been a physical one: for years Bressan has fought a battle against the weight of wood, in order to lighten a material that certainly has no advantage over its plastic counterparts when it comes to performance, and he has achieved a splendid result. Following the grain with the determination of a cabinetmaker of the third millennium and exploiting all the laws of fluid dynamics, the designer from Veneto constructs objects that make the most of the age-old knowledge of this extraordinary material, combining it with the most up-to-date technology. And as in every fairytale worth its salt, a happy ending is required: it takes only a moment to slip down from the firs of the mountains to the waves of the sea, if what sustains you is passion.
Photo: Marco Mucig.
Photo: Marco Mucig.
Photo: Marco Mucig.
Photo: Marco Mucig.
