Today is the first day of the Quiksilver Pro France waiting period and the start of the most exciting month in the European surf calendar. What’s more is the forecast is looking solid and apparently the banks are some of the best they’ve been for a while, with a few days of classic French drainers looking probable as we enter into the pointy end of the year and the title race hots up. As it stands Mick is in the lead, with Adriano trailing by 2000 points, however the rest of the top 5- Filipe Toledo, Owen Wright and Julian Wilson- are still within striking distance, although each would need a solid result and Mick and Adriano to have a shocker. It is though, still very much all to play for.
Josh Kerr tucks up under a thick French lip on finals day 2014 Photo Luke Gartside
Last night we caught up with legend Tom Carroll to find out who he was favouring for the event, and he picked Mick Fanning, Gabriel Medina and John John Florence and we’d be inclined to agree. We’d also like to throw in a couple more predictions in the form of Josh Kerr- who always excels in solid brach break barrels- and Jeremy Flores who will undoubtedly be bringing the confidence gained from his barn-storming victory in Tahiti to his home turf. We managed to catch up with him last night to find out how he was feeling coming into the event. Here’s what he had to say:
‘I feel like [in previous years] I felt a lot of pressure coming into this event because I had a lot to prove, where as now I feel like I don’t have as much to prove. I want do really well for all the french people who have always supported me for so many years even when I had bad times, this is my way to give back, live in front of them on the beach, so that’s what matters the most to me, I want do really well for them. I’d love to win this event, it would be a dream come true and after winning Tahiti I feel like I’m capable of a lot of things now.’
John John Florence will keen to defend his victory. Photo Luke Gartside
Looking at the forecast it seems like we could well be on for a start tomorrow morning, so make sure you check the WSL website at 7AM BST and follow us on Instagram for live updates from the comp.
