I had an idea to handle Picasso's distribution in Lebanon and the Middle East, so I booked a flight to Spain and went to visit the factory in Girona, 90 miles from Barcelona.

Two days later, I was standing on the dock in Llafranc, wearing the amazing Picasso 5mm Chicle BioTermic wetsuit for the first time, before going on board of Alessandro Picasso's boat to spearfish together in the Costa Brava.

The next morning, Picasso picked me up from my hotel and took me to the Picasso wetsuit manufacturing plant where I spent the day visiting and asking questions. That night, during supper, he asked me whether I'd be interested in joining the Picasso international family and handle the North American market as well. His main idea was to utilize someone dedicated to freediving and spearfishing to successfully promote Picasso freediving and spearfishing gear and equipment. I already had an office in Montreal, Canada, so I went ahead and founded "Picasso America Diving Equipment Inc." and then opened another office in the USA as well.

Two days later, I was standing on the dock in Llafranc, wearing the amazing Picasso 5mm Chicle BioTermic wetsuit for the first time...

So here we are today, in our 4th year in North America and the Middle East. We can honestly say we've gone a long way since the first wetsuit! Picasso America has sponsored the "USA Freedive Spearfishing Team" for the world cup in Zadar, Croatia in 1998. As a result, Gerald Lim won the 1st prize for the largest fish and ended up in the 6th position and the team came in the 9th position overall. Picasso diver, Alberto March, won the 1st prize. The fact is, 4 out of the first 8 positions were Picasso champion divers!

From 1998 and until now, Picasso America has sponsored, and is sponsoring still, many USA and Canada Freedive and Spearfishing teams and individuals for regional, national and international events.You can read about them here.

Interesting to mention also, Picasso America has organized, financed and held the first freedive spearfishing competition in North America that was fully sponsored by a single diving equipment manufacturer, with over $7,500.00 in prizes and raffles. The first "Picasso Open 2000" took place in Narragansett, Rhode Island, on September 24, 2000 and was a tremendous success! Since then, every year, there is a Rhode Island Picasso Open as it has become a classic. There are now several Picasso Opens being held in several states. To participate in the next Picasso Open please click here.

Picasso America sponsored divers Brandi Easter (left) and Jean Lundeen (right) with Alessandro Picasso and Roger Yazbeck at DEMA 2001

Picasso America is also an active member of D.E.M.A. (Diving Equipment Manufacturers Association) and has participated 3 times as an exhibitor in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

During my week stay with Picasso, I learned a lot about the company and I even worked at their wetsuit factory daily. I visited Picasso again one year later and stayed for another week at the wetsuit factory. I learned how the world's highest quality wetsuits and Neoprene accessories are manufactured.

One by one, they are hand assembled by skillful professionals, as are most of Picasso other products.

To give you an example; the Picasso fin foot pocket is hand made of the highest quality rubber. Not only that, it is the industry's only cold molded fin pocket, which makes it the most efficient and fastest fin in the world! In a world of hot extrusion, serial fabrication, freedivers and spear fishermen alike are very lucky to have Picasso, the world's only freediving and spearfishing manufacturer who is dedicated exclusively to their favorite hobby.

** All the other companies are either SCUBA oriented, or owned by SCUBA companies**