PLAYA DE PANTIN, Valdoviño / Galicia - Spain (Sunday, September 3, 2023) - Today, Maxime Huscenot and Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri won the European Qualifying Series (QS) 3,000 ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro in clean two-to-three foot conditions, defeating Charly Quivront and Camilla Kemp respectively in the event Finals.
The day resumed in the early afternoon with the women's Semifinals as the tide started to come in and culminated with the crowning of the event winners in front of large crowds tonight in la praia de Pantin.
Maxime Huscenot (FRA) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Huscenot Keeps Devastating Form on Lock on Finals Day, Wins Fourth QS
2023 Championship Tour (CT) surfer Maxime Huscenot (FRA) faced a first time finalist in Charly Quivront (FRA) in the Final and his experience paid off as the Reunion Island surfer led from start to finish to claim a career-fourth win on the QS.
A standout all week in Pantin, Huscenot stepped up big time on Saturday, locking in some of the event's biggest scores, and managed to keep the momentum on his side on Finals Day to win for the first time in Pantin where he previously had a terrible track-record.
"It's hard to start everything from scratch every year, I was on the CT six months ago and have no idea where I'll be next month," Huscenot admitted. "So I've come here to prepare for the upcoming Challengers and winning the event is definitely a major bonus. Pantin is a really difficult wave to surf and I've worked a lot recently to try and improve in all types of conditions so I'm stoked it's starting to pay off."
This result boosts the Frenchman's campaign up the regional rankings and into provisional qualification for next year's Challenger Series (CS).
Charly Quivront (FRA) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Quivront Finds Consistency, Posts Best-Ever QS Finish with Runner-Up in Pantin
A perennial standout in the early rounds and always making the highlight reels with explosive surfing, Charly Quivront (FRA) had never made it past the Semis on the QS until today as he surfed his first Final in Pantin. In second position during the whole Final, the surfer from Royan was in search of a better backup and unfortunately found the right wave, but seconds after the buzzer as he had to settle for second place.
"I'm super happy to get a result today, it's been a while!" Quivront said. "I've come to this season with more free surf in my plans than events so I've surfed with no pressure and it paid today. That last wave was like 3 seconds too late so it's a little bit frustrating but that's how competition goes sometimes."
Quivront rockets up to third on the European rankings and might have to reconsider his future plans if he can keep his spot in the qualifying zone for the CS next year.
Huscenot and Quivront had previously eliminated Yago Dominguez and Joaquim Chaves in the Semifinals.
Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (ESP) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Junior Standout Gonzalez Etxabarri Graduates to First-Time QS Winner
The 18 year-old from the Basque Country, Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (ESP) faced Camilla Kemp (DEU) in the women's Final, both surfers trying to win their first event on the QS. A regular vs goofy foot battle, both surfers exploited the long little rights of Pantin and the Basque found more opportunities when her opponent failed to secure a good enough backup.
A 3-time European Junior champion and multiple winner on the Junior Qualifying Series (JQS), it was only a matter of time for Gonzalez Etxabarri to graduate to QS winner and today was her day.
"It's a big win for me and in a special place so I'm really happy right now," Gonzalez Etxabarri said. "I've been coming here since I'm like 8 or 9 years old with my family and I have a very good connection with the place, the waves and the people. The waves were tough in the Final and I'm happy I found the right ones and my strategy worked out."
The surfer from Zumaia will leave Galicia sitting a comfortable second on the European rankings.
Camilla Kemp (DEU) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Third Time's Not Quite the Charm Just Yet for Kemp
Surfing in her third QS Final today in Pantin, Camilla Kemp (DEU) unfortunately couldn't find a good enough backup despite having the highest single scoring ride of the heat. The surfer from Guincho posted her best result in recent times with the runner-up finish and moves up the ranks with potentially a couple more events counting in this 2023-24 season.
"I've been trying and trying and not getting the results I wanted so I'm really happy with making the Final today," Kemp reflected. "I really wanted to win but it wasn't my time today. I've made the Final three times now and still haven't won so that's still on the bucket list! I'm going to try to get in the last couple of Challengers and experience competing with the best so I'm excited with what's ahead."
Earlier today, Kemp and Gonzalez Etxabarri dispatched Hina-Maria Conradi and Tessa Thyssen respectively in the Semifinals.
With the ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro, stop No.4 on the 2023/24 European QS in the books, here's an updated regional rankings Top 5:
Men's European QS Top 5:
1 - Tiago Carrique (FRA)
2 - Kauli Vaast (FRA)
3 - Charly Quivront (FRA)
4 - Maxime Huscenot (FRA)
5 - Joan Duru (FRA)
Women's European QS Top 5:
1 - Yolanda Hopkins (POR)
2 - Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (ESP)
3 - Tessa Thyssen (FRA)
4 - Teresa Bonvalot (POR)
5 - Nadia Erostarbe (EUK)
Surfers will now head towards Santa Cruz, Portugal for the men's QS3,000 Pro Santa Cruz presented by Noah Surf House, starting Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
The ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro was scheduled from August 29 - September 3, 2023 at playa de Pantin, Galicia / Spain. For all results, photos, video highlights and press releases, log on to WorldSurfLeague.com.
The ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro is an event organized by Club Praia de Pantín / Classic Surf Pro and has the institutional support of Xunta de Galicia, Xacobeo, Axencia Turismo de Galicia, Diputación de A Coruña, Consellería de Promoción do Emprego e Igualdade, Plan Corresponsables, Gobierno de España, Ministerio de Igualdad, Conselleria de Política Social e Xuventude, Dirección Xeral de Maiores e Persoas con Discapacidade, Conselleria do Mar, Ayuntamiento de Ferrol, Ayuntamiento de Valdoviño, Deputación da Coruña, FEMP, Deporte Galego, Galicia Calidade and Federación Galega de Surf; as well as the sponsorship of Abanca, Estrella Galicia, Cabreiroá, Vithas, Gadis, Jael Joyería, Tag Heuer, La Roche Posay, Parque Ferrol, Alma Atlántica, Intermax Technology, Vazva, We Sustainability Project, CamperDays and Surflogic
ABANCA PANTIN CLASSIC GALICIA PRO MEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
1 - Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 12.16
2 - Charly Quivront (FRA) 11.20
ABANCA PANTIN CLASSIC GALICIA PRO WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
1 - Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (ESP) 12.90
2 - Camilla Kemp (DEU) 10.33
ABANCA PANTIN CLASSIC GALICIA PRO MEN'S SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 14.90 def. Yago Dominguez (EUK) 10.67
SF 2: Charly Quivront (FRA) 10.67 def. Joaquim Chaves (POR) 6.67
ABANCA PANTIN CLASSIC GALICIA PRO WOMEN'S SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Camilla Kemp (DEU) 9.93 def. Hina-Maria Conradi (FRA) 9.76
SF 2: Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (ESP) 15.77 def. Tessa Thyssen (FRA) 6.50