Sancho is already back on the job, after the XXL Awards ceremony he flew straight to Tahiti & Chopes and we caught up with him just off the plane…

Congratulations Sancho…How do feel?

As happy as a man can be!

What are you going to do with the 15 000?

I gonna give half to Eric (Rebière). Then I am going to buy a new tow board and a few guns for next year. Then a little trip to London and it is all gone!

How was the ceremony?

We had a good time there. We are a good crew and we had a good laugh.

What did you say to the audience?

I thanked my sponsor, Reid Pinder, Sam Carrier, Francois Liets and my tow partner Eric.

And everyone at home and invited everyone to come and surf the european waves. I also congratulated the boys for their paddling session at Jaws. I thanked Bill for this good night and said a word for Sion and Malik

Does it feel like a world title?

The recognition of your peers, there is nothing better.

That morning when you saw the line up, what did you think?

It wasn’t big enough, there wasn’t enough wave coming through and too many guys out but the tide range was good.

Can you tell us about the particular wave?

We were just coming back from Ireland and we were all relaxed. We arrived two hours late and we left priority to the guys already in the water. Eric and I were sitting more on the inside and everyone missed that wave. It is was a double up. Eric towed me in perfectly. There was a lot of wind and chops.

How does that compare to that session you had in Ireland?

Ireland was ace, big fat barrels.

Belharra needs to be bigger and glassy

What’s next after the XXL?

I am going to get into paddling big waves