The last few days have seen classic conditions at Mundaka. Reports came in
that Thursday and Friday were pumping in the 6-8ft+ range, as was Saturday.
In addition to Mundaka locals like Eneko Acero who scored some crazy pits,
visiting pros like Alain Riou, Michel Bourez, Sancho and Fabrice Gelez got
some sick ones. Mundaka lover and early Quik Pro France arrival Mick Lowe
got some bombs out there this Saturday morning and described it as, “Sucking
so hard there was no wall to pump on. The thing was sucking so hard it’s all
flat bottomed, it’s crazy.”

The swell has dropped today, but long range forecasts charts are showing a
massive low forming to occupy most of the western approaches this week, with
a huge swell predicted to be at peak in the 7m plus range hitting the SW tip
of Ireland around Thursday before spreading south and east through Biscay.
The Quiksilver Pro France waiting period starts this Friday 22nd September,
with the current windguru forecast for Friday in Hossegor being a 3.4m swell
with a 13 second period and cross/off SSE winds, or to put it another way,
pretty f-ing good. It’s a long way off for an accurate prediction but given
the unbelievable conditions the Quik Pro has seen the last few years, who’d
possibly doubt it scoring big once again?

Apart from the swell forecast, plenty off buzz still going around here since
Jeremy Flores’ historic WCT qualification, and his pending wildcard entry in
to the Quik Pro. Jeremy made a powerful statement in last year’s event
defeating Fanning and narrowly losing to Slater, and this year he’ll be
getting more invaluable CT experience ahead of his 2007 campaign. Beach
crowd support should once again prove strong again for both Jeremy and of
local boy Miky Picon, currently 36th on the WCT after Trestles. Miky will be
looking for a decent result at home as he attempts to go up the ratings and
requalify for the 2007 WCT.

Meanwhile, just a few days now until departure for the Mentawais with the
Vans Europe crew. Tuesday morning early departure to Singapore to meet meet
Vans teamriders Hodei Collazo, Alan Stokes, Jose Gregorio, Nicholau von
Rupp, Frederico Morias and Adelina Taylor plus Portuguese photog Charlie
Pinto before we all transfer to Padang for a ten-day boat trip in the
Mentawai Islands. I picked up a brand new McKee Multisystem (thanks Bruce!
www.mckeesurf.com) which has for the trip, maybe I’ll even get someone who
can actually surf to test it out over there…

Stay tuned to surfeuropemag.com for our forthcoming The Factory vodcasts
throughout the European leg of the 2006 WCT!