Photo above: Antoine Delperro (FRA) will attend the “Orange presents the Oxbow WLT” in a couple of weeks in Anglet, France

The Orange presents Oxbow WLT, the first event of two on the 2008 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Longboard Tour (WLT) will run in Anglet, France from May 5th to 11th.

Featuring the world’s Top 45 longboarders plus three wildcards, the Oxbow WLT will be held at the beachbreak of Les Cavaliers, on the South West coast of France for the second year in a row. Reigning ASP World Longboard and defending Oxbow WLT champion Phil Razjman (BRA) will be among the surfers in attendance.
 

Rajzman, who clinched his maiden ASP World Longboard Title in 2007, must defend his crown from former ASP World Longboard Champions Bonga Perkins (HAW), Colin McPhilips (USA), Joel Tudor (USA), Josh Constable (AUS) and rising French longboard star Antoine Delperro (FRA).
 

Delperro, 20, who is originally from the French Mediterranean coast but now resides in Anglet, will be Europe’s favorite in the 2008 Oxbow WLT. Used to the hollow beachbreak of Les Cavaliers, Delperro aims at winning his first ASP World Longboard Tour event this year.
 

“The waves at Les Cavaliers offer great potential for longboarding when it gets good,” Delperro said. “To have the opportunity to surf against the world’s best surfers including legends like Bonga (Perkins) is great and the way things have been going so far for professional longboarding is really promising.”
 

Delperro, who came 5th in the 2007 Oxbow WLT after he was eliminated by Rajzman, is a complete longboarder combining modern style and classic maneuvers, the right weapons to come up against the world’s best surfers when competition resumes next month.
 

“I want to win the event,” Delperro said. “The surfer I fear most is myself, as I need to improve mentally when it comes to tight heats. Surfing at home brings both great motivation as well as pressure because you always want to do well in front of your family, friends, sponsors and supporting crowd.”
 

Also attending the Oxbow WLT will be longtime leading longboarders Duane De Soto (HAW), Carlos Bahia (BRA), Eduardo Bagé (BRA), Jackson Close (AUS), Taylor Jensen (USA), Jonathan Larcher (FRA), Mathew Moir (ZAF) and 2007 ASP European Longboard Champion Michel Demont (PYF).
 

Oxbow, who have been supporting longboarding since 1992, came back to the ASP World Longboard Tour as main sponsor in 2007, and will organize two events this year to crown the ASP World Longboard Champion.
 

“There is definitely a revitalization in longboarding and we are excited to grow the tour again this year,” ASP CEO Brodie Carr said. “Oxbow have been a great partner to push and advance pro longboarding.”
 

“Both Oxbow and the ASP are committed to this part of surfing and we looking forward to the first stop of the 2008 ASP World Longboard Tour starting in Anglet,” Carr said.
      

The 2008 ASP World Longboard Champion will be decided over two events:

Orange presents Oxbow WLT, Les Cavaliers, Anglet – France – May 5 to 11, 2008

Oxbow WLT, Churches, Trestles – USA – October 5 to 11, 2008