Six surfers . One coach. Twenty years of experience.

Hi! 

I'm is Alessandro — everyone calls me Ale or Alex.

 Italian-born, Lagos-based surf coach with two decades of teaching experience on the Algarve coast. 

I founded Surf Clinic to do one thing well: give every student genuine attention, honest feedback, and a clear path to progression — whether you're catching your first wave or working on your backhand in an overhead set.

That's why I only take six students per day — it's what lets me teach the way I believe surfing should be taught: with patience, attention, and care for each person in the water.

My coaching philosophy

I love teaching surfing because the progress never stops — there's always another skill to unlock, another wave to understand. 

In every session I focus on three things: technique, ocean awareness, and confidence — because all three need to grow together for your surfing to truly progress. 

My goal is to give you the tools to keep improving long after our session ends: how to read a lineup, how to move through a crowded break, how to trust your own judgement in the water.

Credentials

I hold a Level II coaching certification from the Portuguese Sport Institution (IPDJ) and a Level 3 Instructor accreditation from the Academy of Surfing Instructors (ASI). 

From 2016 to 2019, I worked as an ASI Instructor Trainer, delivering surf instructor courses to the next generation of coaches.

I'm also a specialist longboard coach — if nose-riding and cross-stepping are on your list, you're in the right place.

Lessons are kept small by choice. 

If you want to progress, not just have a session, get in touch.