Portrait: Poullenot

AGE: 21
HOME: CAPBRETON, FRANCE / SAINT BARTHÉLEMY, GUADELOUPE
HOMEBREAK: SANTOCHA
WEIGHT: 76KGS
HEIGHT: 1M80
SHORTBOARD: 5’10” ROB VAUGHAN
SPONSORS: BILLABONG, GLOBE, ELECTRIC, BILLABONG SURFBOARDS, CREATURES OF LEISURE, FUTURE FINS

CONTEST RESULTS:
3rd place European Junior Championships
9th place Billabong World Junior Championships
3rd place Lacanau Pro Junior France
1st place Boundi Pro Junior Portugal
2004 French and Junior European Champion

Jean-Séb learnt to surf in Guadeloupe at twelve- years-old. “Before that I played football but never really felt like running around in the heat. So I started surfing instead.” His mum works as a PE teacher in Saint Barthélemy and he still loves to spend time there. In Guadeloupe life is mellow and people are a lot more relaxed, both in and out of the water. “Whenever you paddle out you say “Hi” to everyone in the lineup… there’s no hardcore localism. It’s totally chilled.” But he says maybe the best thing about surfing in the Caribbean is warmth and consistency – you can surf in boardies all year long and not have to worry about tides or the size of the waves; there’s always some windswell somewhere. As his main influences, he’s quick to give big ups to the Frager brothers and Hugo Benghozi who paved the way for Guadeloupe surfing. “They were the best surfers on the island when I was growing up and have always offered lots of helpful contest and equipment advice.” Arthur Bourbon and Jean Charles Debray have played an important role too. “We did all those kiddies comps together, do all the Pro Juniors now and consequently the bar is continually raised. In my last year at school, I took PE studies with Arthur and that definitely gave me more time to progress my surfing.” When he’s not surfing, Jean Séb spends a lot of time with his girlfriend Caro (French Women’s WCT rookie Caro Sarran) and otherwise still up for kicking a ball around from time to time. But generally he just likes to chill out and do nothing at home… well, that was until he discovered on-line poker.
Txomin Higson

Not all teenage pro shredders are built like jockeys on hungerstrike. Jean Seb, man size no-grab at Rocky Point.
Action: Carlos Pinto