We’re really happy to welcome a new rider to the team, Yojany Pérez. Who has been pushing surfskating to new limits over the past four years. His style, energy, and dedication have truly caught our attention, and we’re proud to now have him riding with us.
To get to know him a little better, we thought it would be a great idea to sit down for a little chat. We talked about his journey, his roots, what inspires him, and what keeps him moving forward.
Words by Lars Goos / Photography: Lars Goos / Yojany Pérez
Yojany, we are beyond stoked to have you on board, like literally! What has YOW been for you and how have you seen the brand in recent years?
For me, every stage in a brand has been part of the journey. I come from a previous experience that marked me deeply on a personal level, because it was where I grew and connected in a very special way with surfskate. But sometimes you also need to evolve.
The move to YOW was a decision for growth. I was looking for new challenges, more visibility, a more professional environment, and a structure that would allow me to keep developing as a rider and as a person.
I have always seen YOW as a brand with strong presence and identity, with that authentic seventies vibe, deeply connected to classic surf. Being part of something with that energy and projection is also an opportunity to bring my own style and keep building. In the end, everything adds up. Every stage shapes you.
Tell us where you're from and how your life connected with surf and skate.
I’m Cuban and I’ve been living in Barcelona for four years. My story starts in the ocean. First came surfing. In Cuba there isn’t an industry around this: there are no specialized shops and no easy access to equipment. Everything that arrived was limited or hard to get, and that teaches you to value every piece and to be creative with what you have.
There was one summer with no waves when I felt that emptiness. I needed something that felt like surfing, something that gave me back that feeling of flow. That’s when I started skating. Later I discovered longboard and downhill longboarding, another way to understand speed and balance.
When I left Cuba and arrived in Barcelona, I discovered surfskate. And that’s when everything clicked. I didn’t see it just as a sport, but as the union of my two worlds: surf and skate. Technique, fluidity, and creativity in one single movement.
Was it in Barcelona where you found surfskate?
When I arrived in Barcelona, I started riding traditional skate. One day I went to a skatepark and saw some guys riding surfskate. There was something different in the movement, in the flow.
Benji was the one who showed it to me for the first time. He invited me to a meetup and that’s where I had my first real contact. I started trying it and understanding that feeling much closer to surfing.
I uploaded a video skating and, because of that, Lars Goos wrote to me to film a promo for a new surfskate truck that was about to come out. I accepted without thinking too much… and that’s where everything started.
Over time, Lars Goos became my brand manager and also a brother along this path. What started as a filming session ended up opening the door to a new stage.
We saw photos of a mural in Cuba, with you on it?! How did that happen and what does it mean?
I didn’t paint the mural; my brother Mr. MYL did. In Cuba we had a crew called Goon Vibes, with the idea of promoting extreme sports and street art on the island.
It was painted in a restaurant in front of the spot where I used to surf, at Playa 70. The image was deeply connected to surfing, movement, and freedom.
It didn’t last long, but its essence stayed. For us it represented expression, community, and a different way of seeing sport and urban culture.
Have you gone back to Cuba? Have you taught surfskate there?
I haven’t been back in about three years, but after my first year in Barcelona I was able to return. Thanks to the brands that supported me, I brought boards, wheels, shoes, and clothing. But above all, I brought knowledge.
I had the chance to teach young people, surfers, friends, and also people who had never seen something like that before. More than introducing a sport, I felt I was sharing a new way of moving, expressing yourself, and connecting with flow.
Barcelona seems like a fun place! How do you see the surfskate community over there today?
The community has grown a lot. There are more schools, more riders, and many people motivated to learn. The level has risen and Barcelona has become a reference point. From here the movement has expanded through Europe and the world.
The most beautiful thing is that it keeps growing: more and more people discover surfskate as a way of life.
Tech time! which YOW models are you liking the most and riding at the moment?
I’m in a discovery phase, honestly, haha! I haven’t tried all the models yet, but there are several that are catching my attention. I like the cruiser for its versatility in the city. I’m also using a 34” surfskate that appeared a lot in the welcome video.
The truck is especially fun: very reactive, loose, and with a lively feeling that invites you to play and explore. The longboards (Waikiki, Chloe Calmon) also surprised me: fluidity, stability, and a very clean feeling. I keep trying different models. The search is also part of the journey.
What style are you riding mostly? Park, Bowl, Street?
I love bowls, deep transitions, and inclined walls. Aerials, speed, and wide turns really connect me to surfing. I also enjoy the streets: downhill runs, flat ground, and searching for lines. My style moves between radical and fluid: energy, power, and flow.
If you could design your dream surfskate, how would it be?
I think it would be a versatile and functional board. A flat shape, a medium pronounced nose for control, and a fish-type tail for personality in the turns. Between 32.5” and 33”.
I like soft concaves that allow you to flow naturally. I would develop the design with Mr. MYL, mixing urban art with cultural roots: Caribbean aesthetics, seventies vibe, a blend between street art and surf culture. A board with its own soul.
We see all these super radical and innovative tricks and move of you, any epic fall you want to explain about coming along trying those things?
I’ve had many, but one marked my life. Trying a demanding trick I injured both of my Achilles tendons. I spent months without walking and almost a year working to land it again. It taught me discipline, patience, and respect for the process.
Then a 'funny' story, one day shooting photos with Javi, when I fell and the board shot out and hit a photographer friend. Luckily, it was just a scare, nothing else. Since then we are very careful about safety when someone is filming hahaha.
What would you say to someone who wants to take his surfskating in your direction?
Trust the process. Practice, fall, get up, and repeat. Consistency is worth more than talent. Surfskate is growth and connection...
What are you up to when you are not on a board? any other hobbies?
Analog photography is one of my favourite things besides board sports. It makes me slow down, observe, and feel before taking the shot. I’m especially drawn to street photography and a documentary approach: capturing life as it happens, the ocean, the streets, and the people who live in them.
Any future plans we can expect to see from you?
Keep growing with my school and make a living from surfskate. Develop myself as a rider and professional project, travel, inspire new generations, and bring this knowledge to my country. I would also love to have my own promodel that represents my story and style.
Well thanks so much for your time, Yojany! Anything else you want to add?
I’m very grateful to be part of this team. I’m excited to grow together and give everything I can!!
Awesome!! Lastly, where can people follow you?
You can follow my work and daily life on Instagram: @pyojany See you on the asphalt and in the water!!!
