With the Quik Pro France wrapped up within the first five days of a twelve day window, utilizing an initial 5ft NW swell followed by a clean 3ft pulse the following days to wrap things up, hindsight has revealed the prudency of the decision, as small sluggish conditions have persisted in Biscay all last week. While there have been fun peaks up and down the Landes coast helped by small tides, much of the international contingent have found themselves video and photo shoot sessions, but there has been nothing you’d really want to see the Top 45 going at each other in, particularly with World Title significance hanging over heats going in to the last 3 events of the season (Mundaka, Peniche, Pipe).

Looking at the forecast (this chart is forecast for Tuesday 6th) for the beginning of the Billabong Pro Mundaka swell window, it seems no major swell activity is imminent, but given the lack of strong Biscay/Atlantic lows over the last 3 nearly weeks now, it would be hard to imagine at least one decent sized low wont spin within the Mundaka window over the following fortnight (Event waiting period closes 17th Oct). If/when that does happen, you might see the early rounds being held at Sopelana, so that two mid-low-mid tide windows (max of six hours i.e. 12 half hour heats) of Mundaka swell can be used for Round 4 and then the finals.

Mundaka local Eneko Acero has been in Les Landes with the Fox International team and told SE yesterday that the bank is pretty good at Mundaka. In the last 5 weeks Eneko has surfed Mundaka twice, and reckons there’s plenty of sand up on the peak and he expects to see some good barrels if and when the estuary does turn on for the Top 45.

Stay tuned for a forecast updates over the weekend as well as a look at the Euro 7’s survival chances ahead of the famous Basque Country event.

– Barry Buffalo