The Longboard Pro Biarritz crowns its inaugural champions on a picture-perfect Sunday in the Basque country.
The Longboard Pro Biarritz wrapped up today in picture-perfect, three-foot surf at the iconic Côte des Basques, the birthplace of surfing in Europe. Here's a breakdown of the event's finals.
French longboarding wizards Edouard and Antoine Delpero shared the Final in front of a home crowd completely devoted to the brothers, who are also local surf instructors and legends. Antoine let his little brother have a go at the first wave, and Edouard wasted no time to post an excellent 8.00 in the opening minute of the Final.
Antoine Delpero, leash-free and full of style at home in Biarritz. - WSL / Damien Poullenot
But after a shaky start on a first attempt, Antoine started building momentum and went on an incredible streak, capturing four waves: a 7.67, 9.47, 9.83 and finally a 9.67 to build a 19.50 combo that Edouard could never recover from.
"It was just a dream scenario to surf that final with my brother in front of all our friends and family," Antoine said. "I tried to stay focused but honestly this day was absolutely exhilarating, I'm over the moon."
The Delpero family shared an emotional finals day. - WSL / Damien Poullenot
Antoine was on fire yesterday, posting a perfect 10 in the long rights of the north bank and continued to surf the brilliant walls with confidence beyond belief, mixing super-long nose rides and sharp carves to claim a second win this season. With 2,300 ranking points, Antoine also took the pole position in this year's European title race.
"I had the best two waves with priority and just surfed them like I could, everything went my way," he added. "I didn't even think of the title to be honest. I'm not even sure I'll be able to go to Boardmasters [the summer longboarding festival], Edouard and I have a business together and that's the busiest time of year, so we'll probably play rock-paper-scissors to decide if one of us goes."
Edouard and a glimpse of the iconic Villa Belza in the background. - WSL / Damien Poullenot
Edouard did not win today but his surfing all week, both in the LQS and BTZ Belza Classic, proved once again he's one of the best surfers in the world on a 9-foot-plus board. A poor wave-choice in the final and probably the frustration of seeing his brother on a roll cost him the win in Biarritz but he's climbed up to second in the regional rankings.
"It's absolutely incredible to share moments like this with my brother," Edouard said. "He was just too good today, I'm stoked for him he definitely deserved the win. I didn't have a good rhythm and I just took all the wrong waves in that heat."
Antoine and Edouard defeated Augusto Olinto and Ben Skinner, respectively, in the Semis.
All about Justine! Justin Dupont took on Justine Mauvin in the Final for the first-ever Longboard Pro Biarritz winner's trophy. The heat started slow but halfway through good sets started rolling through, giving Dupont a couple of chances to lay down her technical and stylish nose rides for two 7-plus scores.
Justine Mauvin hanging ten to win her first-ever professional event. - WSL / Damien Poullenot
But Mauvin never looked defeated, multiplying her efforts to try to challenge the 2014 European champion. In the dying moments, the Reunion Island surfer caught a great wave and cruised gracefully on the nose of her board to post an 8.40 and steal the win.
"I can't even believe I just won," she said. "This just felt like any other Sunday, sharing perfect waves with good friends. I entered late when I saw the conditions were going to be that good! I'm just back from Reunion Island where I had two live music gigs and it's a really good surprise to come here to compete and win."
Dupont, meanwhile, had been one of the strongest competitors all through the earlier rounds and came up just short of a second win this season in Biarritz. But with one victory and two runner-up results, the Lacanau surfer has built a large enough lead to claim the 2018 European Longboard Women Champion title before the last event of the year.
Justine Dupont, acclaimed by her peers. - WSL / Damien Poullenot
"With four events of the highest level with the internationals that came to Portugal, I really appreciate that title," she said. "It's great to win here, I have so many great memories of competing here at the Roxy Jam a while back so I'm stoked to be back. People tend to put me in the big-wave surfer box and it's fun to show I'm still in love with longboarding and I appreciate little waves and a big board just as much."
Mauvin and Dupont previously defeated Alice Lemoigne and Mason Schremmer in the Semis.
With the completion of the Longboard Pro Biarritz, the European rankings have once again been re-shuffled, here's the new Top 5:
European Men's LQS Top 5:
1 - Antoine Delpero
2 - Edouard Delpero
3 - Ben Skinner
4 - Jack Unsworth
5 - Ben Howey
European Women's LQS Top 5:
1 - Justine Dupont ( European Champion )
2 - Nienke Duinmeijer
3 - Francesca Rubegni
4 - Alice Lemoigne
5 - Kathleen Barrigao
5 - Valentina Marconi
The next and final stop of the 2018 Longboard Qualifying Series will be at Boardmasters this summer from August 10-12.
Tune in from June 7-10, 2018 and check out all the photos, videos and updates right here!
Antoine Delpero and Justine Mauvin Win Inaugural Longboard Pro Biarritz
Nicolas Leroy
The Longboard Pro Biarritz wrapped up today in picture-perfect, three-foot surf at the iconic Côte des Basques, the birthplace of surfing in Europe. Here's a breakdown of the event's finals.
Men's Final:
French longboarding wizards Edouard and Antoine Delpero shared the Final in front of a home crowd completely devoted to the brothers, who are also local surf instructors and legends. Antoine let his little brother have a go at the first wave, and Edouard wasted no time to post an excellent 8.00 in the opening minute of the Final.
But after a shaky start on a first attempt, Antoine started building momentum and went on an incredible streak, capturing four waves: a 7.67, 9.47, 9.83 and finally a 9.67 to build a 19.50 combo that Edouard could never recover from.
"It was just a dream scenario to surf that final with my brother in front of all our friends and family," Antoine said. "I tried to stay focused but honestly this day was absolutely exhilarating, I'm over the moon."
Antoine was on fire yesterday, posting a perfect 10 in the long rights of the north bank and continued to surf the brilliant walls with confidence beyond belief, mixing super-long nose rides and sharp carves to claim a second win this season. With 2,300 ranking points, Antoine also took the pole position in this year's European title race.
"I had the best two waves with priority and just surfed them like I could, everything went my way," he added. "I didn't even think of the title to be honest. I'm not even sure I'll be able to go to Boardmasters [the summer longboarding festival], Edouard and I have a business together and that's the busiest time of year, so we'll probably play rock-paper-scissors to decide if one of us goes."
Edouard did not win today but his surfing all week, both in the LQS and BTZ Belza Classic, proved once again he's one of the best surfers in the world on a 9-foot-plus board. A poor wave-choice in the final and probably the frustration of seeing his brother on a roll cost him the win in Biarritz but he's climbed up to second in the regional rankings.
"It's absolutely incredible to share moments like this with my brother," Edouard said. "He was just too good today, I'm stoked for him he definitely deserved the win. I didn't have a good rhythm and I just took all the wrong waves in that heat."
Antoine and Edouard defeated Augusto Olinto and Ben Skinner, respectively, in the Semis.
Women's Final:
All about Justine! Justin Dupont took on Justine Mauvin in the Final for the first-ever Longboard Pro Biarritz winner's trophy. The heat started slow but halfway through good sets started rolling through, giving Dupont a couple of chances to lay down her technical and stylish nose rides for two 7-plus scores.
But Mauvin never looked defeated, multiplying her efforts to try to challenge the 2014 European champion. In the dying moments, the Reunion Island surfer caught a great wave and cruised gracefully on the nose of her board to post an 8.40 and steal the win.
"I can't even believe I just won," she said. "This just felt like any other Sunday, sharing perfect waves with good friends. I entered late when I saw the conditions were going to be that good! I'm just back from Reunion Island where I had two live music gigs and it's a really good surprise to come here to compete and win."
Dupont, meanwhile, had been one of the strongest competitors all through the earlier rounds and came up just short of a second win this season in Biarritz. But with one victory and two runner-up results, the Lacanau surfer has built a large enough lead to claim the 2018 European Longboard Women Champion title before the last event of the year.
"With four events of the highest level with the internationals that came to Portugal, I really appreciate that title," she said. "It's great to win here, I have so many great memories of competing here at the Roxy Jam a while back so I'm stoked to be back. People tend to put me in the big-wave surfer box and it's fun to show I'm still in love with longboarding and I appreciate little waves and a big board just as much."
Mauvin and Dupont previously defeated Alice Lemoigne and Mason Schremmer in the Semis.
With the completion of the Longboard Pro Biarritz, the European rankings have once again been re-shuffled, here's the new Top 5:
European Men's LQS Top 5:
1 - Antoine Delpero
2 - Edouard Delpero
3 - Ben Skinner
4 - Jack Unsworth
5 - Ben Howey
European Women's LQS Top 5:
1 - Justine Dupont ( European Champion )
2 - Nienke Duinmeijer
3 - Francesca Rubegni
4 - Alice Lemoigne
5 - Kathleen Barrigao
5 - Valentina Marconi
The next and final stop of the 2018 Longboard Qualifying Series will be at Boardmasters this summer from August 10-12.
Tune in from June 7-10, 2018 and check out all the photos, videos and updates right here!
Antoine Delpero
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Longboard Pro Biarritz
The BTZ Belza Classic brought a 70s feel last week in Biarritz with the traditional division.
The Longboard Pro Biarritz crowns its inaugural champions on a picture-perfect Sunday in the Basque country.
Another epic day of surfing in Biarritz if you had a 9Ft board in your quiver.
The Longboard Pro Biarritz decides its semifinalists in excellent conditions at Côte des Basques.
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