2019 ISA WORLD LONGBOARD SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP

2019 ISA WORLD LONGBOARD SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP

After more elimination Repechage Rounds, USA and France are the last teams standing fully intact, with all four surfers in the event. The host Team France has the advantage over USA, with three of their four surfers remaining in the Main Event, whereas USA has three of four surfers in the Repechage Rounds.

Surfers in the Repechage Round will have to surf four more heats to make it to the medal-awarding Grand Finals, while surfers in the Main Event Final need only to pass one heat to guarantee their individual medal.

Team Peru fell out of a tie atop the leaderboard after losing Ana Camila Kaspar in the Women’s Repechage on Thursday, but with two surfers qualified for the Main Event, they find themselves in the race for the overall Team Gold.

Team Australia and Brazil also are in medal contention with three surfers remaining.

The Women’s Main Event Final will be headlined by Japan’s 2018 Copper Medalist Natsumi Taoka, who put on a skillful show of footwork to earn the day’s second highest heat total for the women with 14.66. Joining Taoka will be Peru’s María Fernanda Reyes, USA’s first-time ISA competitor Soleil Errico, and France’s Alice Lemoigne.

“It would be incredible to win a medal here in France,” said Peru’s Reyes. “Step by step I think I can achieve my goal to win the Gold.

USA’s Errico added, “Being one heat away from a guaranteed medal means everything to me. Winning an ISA would be an incredible achievement. It’s something I’ve always wanted.

“The level of talent is up there. Everyone is ripping, girls from all over the world.”

To the delight of the hometown crowd, France’s Delpero brothers Antoine and Edouard, locals of Biarritz, will face off in the Main Event Final against Great Britain’s Ben Howey and Peru’s 2018 runner-up Benoit Clemente.

Fresh off earning the event’s first perfect 10-point ride on Wednesday, Antoine Delpero started where he left off and marked the highest Main Event heat total for the Men on Thursday with 15.33 points.

In the Main Event Semifinals, Edouard Delpero found himself in a precarious situation, out of an advancing position during the final minutes of the heat. Delpero found the score he was looking for, his best of the heat, which resulted in the reigning Men’s Gold medalist Kai Sallas (USA) being relegated to the Repechage Rounds. Sallas will now face the long road to the Grand Final if he is to repeat his World Champion performance from 2018.

The Repechage Rounds matched the intensity of the main event in the afternoon, producing the highest heat totals of the day. The rising tide produced some of the best shaped waves for Thursday’s competition.

Uruguay’s Julian Schweizer tallied two waves worth 8.17 and 7.17 to earn the highest male heat total on Friday of 15.34.

“I can’t believe it,” said Schweizer. “It had been so hard to find the good ones but during my heat I just kept finding great waves.

“Unfortunately, yesterday I lost in the main event, but I’m still here and fighting. I want to keep going and who knows what can happen.”

On the women’s side of the draw, USA’s Lindsay Steinriede kept her team fully intact and posted a heat total of 16.33, the highest of the day among both gender divisions.

After five days of competition there are fourteen surfers that remain from the Americas, five women and nine men. These surfers are not only competing for medals, but also a qualification spot for Surfing’s debut in the Pan American Games, which will be awarded to the top finish man and woman in the event.

On Friday the first medals of the event will be awarded in the ISA’s unique team relay event, the Aloha Cup. The event features all four team members from the top seven finishing teams from the 2018 edition plus the host nation competing in two Semifinals and a Final. Each surfer much catch a predetermined amount of waves before tagging their next teammate into the relay, with the sum of the individual wave scores adding up to the team total.

The Aloha Cup will feature France, USA, Peru, Brazil, Australia, Japan, Argentina, and Great Britain.

The official Surfline forecast is calling for clean conditions to persist on Friday and Saturday, with waves in the 2-3 foot range. On Saturday afternoon a new swell will arrive in the 4-5 foot range and hold through Sunday, when the Grand Finals will crown the World Champions.

ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:

“At this point in the event the talent level is high across the board. Many heats have been tight and fought until the end.

“The conditions were absolutely beautiful today in Biarritz. Deep blue water, fun waves, and not a cloud in the sky once again showed why this beach has been at the center of the global longboard culture for over 60 years.

“Tomorrow we will run our signature event, the Aloha Cup, which brings a high level of action, excitement, and teamwork typically not seen in individual sports such as Surfing. Don’t forget to tune in!”

The schedule for Friday’s competition is as follows:
8:30am – 9:20am: Aloha Cup Semifinal 1
9:35am – 10:25am: Aloha Cup Semifinal 2
10:45am – 11:35am: Aloha Cup Final
Schedule is subject to changes and possible delays during the high tide.

View all results here.

Follow the action live on isasurf.org

2019 ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship

2019 ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship

Biarritz, France, May 29, 2019 – France’s dynamic brother duo of Antoine and Edouard Delpero proved to be unstoppable at their home break of Côte des Basques on the fourth day of competition at the 2019 ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship.

The two-time ISA longboard gold medalist and Biarritz local Antoine Delpero dominated his two Main Event heats. His stylish combination of traditional and progressive maneuvers in the vastly improved conditions earned him the first perfect ten-point ride of the event, complemented by two other exceptional wave scores of 9.4 and 8.8 in previous heats.

“I am doing this contest to win, but I want to do well for the French team,” said Antoine Delpero. “I couldn’t say no to representing my country in this event. I live, work, and surf here in Biarritz. I’m having fun and will give it my all until the end.”

Antoine’s younger brother Edouard fed off his brother’s top performance and put on an impressive performance of his own, earning the highest heat total of the event thus far with a total of 18.5. Edouard displayed consistent, powerful surfing, notching four waves in the excellent 8+ range.

“My brother’s surfing definitely pushed me to match him,” said Edouard Delpero. “I saw him getting good scores and I tried to raise my level as much as possible.”

Wednesday’s competition kicked off with an increased swell and calm winds after a few stormy days at the iconic wave of Côte des Basques. The clean, peeling waves allowed the world’s best male and female longboarders to display their complete skill sets.

The defending Men’s Gold Medalist, USA’s Kai Sallas, advanced through both of his Main Event heats on Wednesday, placing himself in the Main Event Semifinals for another run at the Gold.

Team France’s dominance was not limited to the Men’s Division, as Alice Lemoigne earned the highest women’s heat total with 12.96 points in the Main Event. However, France’s perfect run in the event thus far came to an end as teammate Justine Dupont, who had been the standout performer through the first three days of competition, fell into the Repechage Rounds after struggling to find quality waves in her heat.

Dupont was defeated by Peru’s Maria Fernanda Reyes, whose 12.74 total was the second highest of the day for the women, and Australia’s Emily Lethbridge.

The defending Women’s Copper medalist Natsumi Taoka of Team Japan advanced through her Main Event heat with last-minute heroics, pushing South Africa’s Tarryn King out of an advancing position and into the Repechage Rounds.

“When the set came in during the final moments of the heat, I knew I had to do something good,” said Taoka. “I’m so happy to have won. I really want to improve on my 2018 Copper and win the Gold this year.”

Behind the top performances of the Delpero brothers was the strong surfing of USA’s Cole Robbins. Robbins, a first-time competitor in the event, continued to assert himself as a potential medalist by earning a solid 14.9 total.

“The conditions have been difficult, but today the bigger swell, pushing tide and light winds are definitely helping the scores and conditions,” said Robbins.

“Representing my country is such an honor. This is about being part of something that is bigger than yourself, being part of a team and supporting each other.

“My goal is to see how far I can take it and hopefully win a Gold. It would be amazing to see longboard included in the Olympics one day and be a part of that journey.”

Wednesday’s competition was topped off with the elimination Repechage Rounds where athletes were fighting to keep their Gold Medal hopes alive. An additional 28 competitors bowed out of the event.

Gold Medal favorite and 2018 ISA Longboard Silver medalist, Brazil’s Chloe Calmon, regained her footing in the Repechage Rounds after a surprising loss in the Main Event, advancing with a 12.50 heat total.

New Zealand’s Michael Grendon lost in the morning’s Main Event and rebounded in the Men’s Repechage, earning the round high total of 13.5 points.

Notably in attendance was Denis Masseglia, the President of French National Olympic and Sports Committee who came to Biarritz to witness the world-class longboard surfing taking place on the country’s southwest coast.

“It was important for me to be here and recognize the great work done by the French Surfing Federation,” said Masseglia.

“The French athletes have been the best. Based on what I’ve seen today, they are in a great position to go for the team Gold Medal.

“It is important for Surfing to be included on the sports program for Paris 2024. For Paris, the image of youthful, natural sports are certainly some of the reasons why they chose surfing.

“Inclusion in Paris is also another step towards inclusion in LA 2028. It’s a great path for Surfing.”

ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:

“Today Côte de Basques began to show its true colors and provided incredible waves for longboard. The talent was unleashed all throughout the day and unsurprisingly, the locals, who know the wave the best, were posting the top scores.

“Tomorrow we should expect more of the same as the field of competitors narrows, making every heat a must watch.”

The schedule for Thursday’s competition is as follows:

• 7am – 8:20am: 4 heats Men Repechage Round 3
• 8:20am – 9:20am: 3 heats Women Repechage Round 3
• 9:20am – 10am: 2 heats Men Main Event Round 4
• 10am – 10:40am: 2 heats women Main Event Round 4
• 10:40am – 12pm: 4 heats Men Repechage Round 4
• 12pm – 1pm: 3 heats Women Repechage Round 4

Schedule is subject to changes and possible delays during the afternoon high tide.

View all results here.