Surfers during the Press Conference of the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro France on October 15, 2021 in Hossegor, France. (Photo by Damien Poullenot/World Surf League)
- Stop No.3 of 4, France is the Turning Point in 2021 Season
- Momentum Wave and Redemption Post-Portuguese Rankings Shake Up
- First Call Saturday 8:05 a.m (CET)
- More at www.WorldSurfLeague.com
The Challenger Series continue this week at Stop No.3, the Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France held in Les Landes from October 13-15, 2021. The longtime Championship Tour stop will for the first time welcome over 150 athletes amongst some of the best in the world.
The second-to-last stop on the Challenger Series in this transitional year, pressure is reaching new heights for CT surfers and QS stars all vying for a spot on next year’s elite tours.
The first two events in California and Portugal have shed new light onto potential qualifiers and the competition is tough as each and every one in the field truly has a shot at the men’s Top 12 and Women’s Top 6 by the time the tour wraps in Hawaii.
Momentum Wave and Redemption Post-Portuguese Rankings Shake Up
On the men’s side, an all-american Top 4 is bringing the heat, led by Hawaii’s Ezekiel Lau who won last week in Portugal and is brimming with confidence. Jake Marshall had a disappointing early exit there but with a runner-up in California he still has a strong shot in second position to stay in the qualifying zone.
Imaikalani Devault and Nat Young both had a fantastic campaign in Ericeira and have jumped up the ranks, but not quite as much as Jackson Baker (AUS) who rocketed up to 7th, just behind his compatriot Liam O’Brien who still looks good in the race.
The rest of the field is chasing and a lot of competitors are well in striking distance, which should bring exciting battles to France.
On the women’s side, Gabriela Bryan (HAW) is almost a lock for next year’s Championship Tour with her exceptional back-to-back runner-ups and a solid carry-over result from 2020. But behind her the fight is fierce with dozens of surfers within one good result of joining the Top 6.
The winner of the US Open Caitlin Simmers (USA) may be the most under-pressure headed to France as a first round exit in the following event leaves her in a dangerous 5th place on the rankings with two more events to go.
Local Favorites and Wildcards Are Ready to Rumble
More than 20 French surfers are registered across the men and women fields, the most ever in this event. Michel Bourez will lead the group as the most experienced competitor alongside the likes of Joan Duru, Maxime Huscenot, Marc Lacomare and newcomer Kauli Vaast.
Vaast just came out victorious of the French Open, a national contest held by the French federation on the Culs Nus site just before the Junior event started.
“I had the opportunity to surf the spot beforehand at our French federation event and it was super fun,” Vaast said. “Waves change all the time here but I hope this bank is going to stay for the whole event cause it’s super fun. It’s my first year on the Challenger Series so I don’t really feel any pressure, this is just a great opportunity to build experience for me.”
World No. 4 Johanne Defay will definitely be the women’s draw crowd favorite, closely followed by former CT athlete Pauline Ado and rising star Vahine Fierro.
“You never know what conditions you’re going to get here,” Fierro added. “It’s a lot of fun just showing up and figuring out what the waves are doing on the day.”
Sponsor wildcards have a history of posting big upsets in France and this year should be no different with explosive talent Marco Mignot taking the Quiksilver golden ticket, while Francisca Veselko (PRT) obtained the invitation via her sponsor Roxy.
Capbreton, Hossegor and Seignosse Team Up to Host Major French Event
The Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France are made possible by the three adjacent towns of Capbreton, Hossegor and Seignosse joining forces each year.
“It is a great pleasure to see the return of the Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France to our territory,” Christophe Vignaud, Mayor of Soorts-Hossegor stated. “Soorts-Hossegor renews its tradition of hosting major international events and claims its spots among the great European surf destinations with our quality waves hailed by surfers worldwide. This event is a formidable opportunity to promote surfing in Europe and on our territory and we owe ourselves to make it a staple yearly. I want to welcome all the competitors and spectators and wish them a great event!”
“Seignosse and its neighbors have been immersed in surf culture ever since it arrived on our continent,” Pierre Pecastaingts, Mayor of Seignosse said. “We have some of the best waves in Europe and are proudly the home of several high-level competitors. We are proud to welcome a global tour event on our territory. Seignosse remains one of the most influential surfing destinations enjoyed by people from all over the world. We wish all the competitors in the Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France good luck and hope for an exciting show!”
COVID-19 Updates
The health and safety of athletes, staff, and the local community are of the utmost importance and there are a robust set of procedures in place to keep everyone safe. Athletes, staff, media and the public will be required to show proof of the “Health Pass” before accessing any of the event facilities or the beach.
Watch Competition LIVE!
All the Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France action will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app and the WSL’s Facebook Page. A broadcast with French commentary is also available on the WSL French broadcast partner MCS Extreme’s platforms.
Action will be called by Franck Lacaze, the voice of surfing in French, as well as competitor turned coach Romain Laulhe and former CT surfer Caroline Sarran. MCS Extreme also has exclusive programming including a Jeremy Flores documentary, plus giveaways on their social platforms.
The first call will be made at 8:05 a.m (CET) on Saturday, October 16, 2021.
The 2021 Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France will unfold from October 16-24, 2021, at Capbreton / Hossegor / Seignosse, Landes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine – France. For all results, photos, video highlights and press releases, log on to worldsurfleague.com.
The Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France are made possible with the support of the cities of Capbreton, Hossegor and Seignosse, MACS, Landes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Quiksilver and ROXY, Oakley, Hydro Flask, Tourtel Twist.
About the Région de Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Thanks to its 750 km of coastline, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a major territory for surfing, including Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France. With more than 9,600 licensed surfers and 300,000 recreational surfers, it is recognised worldwide for the diversity of its spots, the quality of its waves and the professionalism of its clubs.
More than 400 companies in the board sports sector are based there, with a turnover of €1,800 million, i.e. more than 80% of European turnover. The EuroSIMA cluster brings together 180 companies from 9 countries.
Surfing is an important tourist and economic vector in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, particularly thanks to the organisation of international competitions and amateur and professional circuits.
About the Département des Landes – MACS
As part of its commitment to the development of surfing, the Landes Department, which supports the sporting dynamic of its territory, and the Maremne Adour Côte Sud community of municipalities are pleased to welcome the Quiksilver and ROXY Pro France for its 2021 edition. Backed by the Quiksilver and ROXY Junior Pro 40, this world-class event is now an unmissable sporting and cultural event for the southern coast of the Landes. After a year “off”, this surfing land, known worldwide for the quality of its waves, is ready to meet again the world elite.
About Quiksilver
Quiksilver is an emblematic boardsports brand of Boardriders, Inc., founded by a group of surfing enthusiasts in Australia in 1969. True to a unique lifestyle, Quiksilver holds passion, authenticity and innovation to be fundamental values. The brand’s identity is represented by its logo, a mountain inside a wave symbolizing its attachment to boardsports and its playgrounds, the sea and the slopes. Quiksilver products cover the whole range of sportswear, accessories and boardsports gear. Quiksilver is also intimately associated with the very best athletes and the biggest events in the history of boardsports. www.quiksilver.com
“The Pro France is not just another event for Boardriders, it sparks emotions and memories for us but also for the surfers and public. These surf spots and this event are part of the history of Quiksilver and ROXY and we take pride in providing continued support. To see the world’s best surfers battle it out on world class waves is always something special and can provide magical moments you don’t want to miss.” Nicolas Foulet, Boardriders Europe President.
About ROXY
ROXY, a brand of Boardriders, Inc., has been empowering female pioneers since 1990. The first and only exclusively-female global action sports brand, ROXY specializes in the development and design of trend-leading, technically innovative lifestyle and performance wear inspired by the Mountain & the Wave. By creating first-of-its-kind products designed for surfing, winter sports, fitness and yoga & cultivating a breed of female pioneers who changed the course of sport, ROXY has empowered all women to challenge the status quo in every arena of their lives.
About MCS EXTREME
MCS EXTREME is more than 600 hours of exclusive extreme sports programmes, including more than 300 hours of live coverage, in HD in French. The streaming platform is accessible on all screens (website, IOS and Android applications, tablet, connected TV, apple Tv, Android TV, airplay, chromecast…)
Users will be able to chat live with the commentators, switch between screens, resume a programme, go back to the beginning of the live stream, create a favourites list or their own playlists, or just podcast by relaying the app in the background.
MCS Extreme also features original and relevant shows, documentaries, series and programmes that showcase all these incredible sports.
About HYDRO FLASK
Hydro Flask looks to inspire a joyful life in all adventures, supporting our community’s active lifestyle and encouraging more environmentally conscious behaviour. Whether it’s outdoor, at work, in the daily life or during competitions with high performance needs, Hydro Flask products are a trusted side kick for all athletes. “We are proud to continue the partnership with the World Surf League and grateful that we can leverage this in EMEA as well. We look forward to a successful event!” – Kit Ha, Director of Marketing, Housewares EMEA.
About FAIRPLAYFORPLANET.ORG
In the run-up to the Quiksilver & ROXY Pro France, the only French leg of the WSL Challenger Series, the World Surf League confirms its global ecological commitment by joining the approach of the first French environmental label for sports clubs and events, Fair Play For Planet. Launched by former rugby player Julien Pierre, the initiative aims to support sports players in their ecological transition. http://www.fairplayforplanet.org
About the WSL
Established in 1976, the World Surf League (WSL) is the home of the world’s best surfing.
A global sports, media and entertainment company, the WSL oversees international tours and competitions, a studios division creating over 500+ hours of live and on-demand content, and via affiliate WaveCo, the home of the world’s largest high performance, human-made wave. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, the WSL has regional offices in North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA.
The WSL annually crowns the men’s and women’s surfing World Champions. The global Tours and Competition division oversees and operates more than 180 global contests each year across the Championship Tour, the development tiers, including the Challenger, Qualifying and Junior Series, as well as longboard and big wave properties.
Launched in 2019, WSL Studios is an independent producer of unscripted television projects, including documentaries and series, which provide unprecedented access to athletes, events, and locations around the world. WSL events and content are distributed on linear television in over 743M+ homes worldwide and across digital and social media platforms around the world, including WorldSurfLeague.com.
WaveCo includes the Surf Ranch Lemoore facility and the utilizing and licensing of the Kelly Slater Wave System.
The WSL is dedicated to changing the world through the inspirational power of surfing by creating authentic events, experiences, and storytelling to inspire a growing, global community to live with purpose, originality, and stoke.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
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