There are only a few lucky ones reaching the top. True for any sports, true also for surfing. From the Pro Junior ranks to the WQS jungle ( and making a proper living out of it) there are a lot of failures, lots of chattered hopes and dreams. Vincent Duvignac couple of years ago, despite his polish style, looked like he would join the first wagon but the kid from Mimizan (north Landes) had other plans, actually secret plans…

SE: How was your winter, been getting some good waves I heard?

Yeah we’ve been lucky with couple of sand banks holding the big stuff at home. I didn’t travel much this winter and I am glad I didn’t. Banks are still good and we’ve been documenting it a fair bit. Some of the older crew said that they never saw banks this good, especially the outerbanks with a lot of ‘small islands’ with some deeper water and inverted rips creating hollower and more powerful waves.

SE: What’s the main difference between your joint and the Capbreton, Hossegor, Seignosse stretch?

If you wanna improve your surfing, you got to surf among the best surfers, that’s one thing. Also in the south Landes, the waves are breaking closer from the shore and the banks are usually way more stable. In the Capbreton to Seignosse area, you have to drive less to find good waves.

Contest wise, you had a pretty good run so far, a few quarter finals if I not mistaken?

Yes I had a pretty good start this year, first with some tow in & paddling in the big stuff, big barrels, then 15 days on the Goldy, more barrels at home, 5th place in Scotland and in Vendée, 9th place in Brazil and now enough points to enter the Prime event in Ericeira next June!

You are killing it in the freesurf that’s not new but also with a jersey on, which is a bit more of a novelty on the major QS events. What happen? Your team manager reckons it was all planned?

I have been training physically since january at home. I wanted to be at 100% for the contests . My 5th place in Scotland proved that it is paying off…We worked with Rusty to get my name in the media, I think it helps even during a heat when the judges know you a bit better.

Lacking a bit of waves in the quarter final in Scotland, it looked like you could hve gone all the way?

Yeah, I got a bit nervous and always paddle on the first wave of the set. Brent (Dorrigton and eventual winner of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Scotland) was on the second ones, that proved to be the best.

To be continued…