About Sofia Mulánovich

Country of Birth

Peru

Industry

Sports

Top achievements

Sofia Mulánovich is a Peruvian professional surfer. She is the first South American person to win an Association of Surfing Professionals World Championships Tour event. Mulánovich reached this phenomenal achievement in 2004, the same year she won another two of the six World Championship Tour events she competed in. She finished the season as World Champion. 

Early life and education

Sofia Mulánovich Aljovin was born in 1983 in Punta Hermosa, Lima, Peru. Mulánovich’s parents were originally from Croatia. After immigrating to Peru, her father worked at a fish-processing plant, and her mother ran a smoothie stand on the beach. Growing up in a surfing town, Mulánovich began surfing at age three with her parents and older brothers. She soon acquired the skills to become an accomplished surfer. Aged only 13, Mulánovich competed in the US Open surfing competition, where she made the quarter-finals. 

Early Career and Activism

After her initial accomplishments at a young age, Mulánovich competed in several championships and achieved significant success globally, winning several championship tours. Besides her phenomenal achievements in surfing, Mulánovich is also known as a leading environmental activist in Peru. She actively fights against property development encroaching on surf beaches in Peru and works alongside other surfers worldwide to ensure the oceans are kept as clean as possible. 

Mulánovich supports young surfers with Proyecto Sofia, a high-performance youth surf academy in San Pedro, Peru. Sponsored by Swatch, Mulánovich helps young surfers prepare for challenges and opportunities in the ocean and life, no matter their social background. 

Recognition

In 2007, Mulánovich was included in the Surfing Hall of Fame in Huntington Beach, California, United States. She was chosen for her significant impact on the sport through her outstanding achievements and became the first South American surfer to have this honor. In 2015, she once again graced Huntington Beach with her accomplishments when she was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame.

Achievements

Some of Sofia Mulánovich’s World Surfing League Women’s Championship Tour Wins include:

• The Roxy Pro Fiji in Tavarua, Fiji, in 2004
• The Billabong Pro Tahiti, in Teahupoo, Tahiti, French Polynesia, in 2004
• The Roxy Jam in Anglet, France, in 2004
• The SPC Fruit Pro in Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia, in 2005
• The Roxy Pro Fiji in Tavarua, Fiji, in 2004
• The Roxy Pro England in Cornwall, England, in 2005
• The Rip Curl Girls Festival in Santander, Spain, in 2007
• The Roxy Pro in Sunset Beach, Hawaii, United States, in 2007
• The Roxy Pro Gold Coast in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, in 2008
• The Movistar Peru Classic in Lobitos, Peru, in 2009

Additional facts

Sofia Mulánovich starred in several movies, including:

• Peel: The Peru Project, where she starred as a surfer
• Sofia: A Documentary in which she starred as herself
• The Modus Mix 
• 7 Girls, a documentary
• Into The Storm/En La Tormenta, a documentary in which she starred as herself

Mulánovich is in a relationship with Camila Toro, and they have a son. They are ambassadors for Peru’s gay community.