Quiksilver No Pro France 2022
Comp or no comp in Hossegor
The Quiksilver Pro France had been a fixed date on the yearly surf calendar for two decades. Until 2019 the Quik Pro France was part of the WSL CT. After the pandemic and some changes to the tour schedule, it became a stop of the Challenger Series in 2021. That was supposed to remain until the WSL called it off at the end of July 2022. The Quiksilver Pro France was canceled.
Charlie had made travel plans and was still going to Hossegor. It doesn’t need a competition to be a great surf destination! Charlie stayed as always at Carwyn’s Surfhouse and he picked her up from the train station. That’s when he told her that there would still be a competition in Hossegor, the Quiksilver No Pro.
The pre-party
The event started with a skating demo at the market square in Hossegor the Friday evening. Charlie was still at the Surf Summit and didn’t make it for the skate session at 6 p.m. When she got there, there were still some skaters, a stall by Carver skateboards, and a DJ playing. Right next to it are the market halls and it seemed like a convivial evening for all the guests who enjoyed food, drinks, music, and skating.
Surfing competition: Hossegor vs. Capbreton
The competition was planned for Saturday. Surfers of the surf clubs in Hossegor and Capbreton would compete against each other. The information that was available online said that it would be at the beach Les Culs Nus. Charlie had rented an e-bike again and cycled down to the beach. When she arrived, she saw some surfers in perfect barrels, but nothing looked like a competition. Charlie went to the bar and got a coffee. That was an opportunity to ask a local. The waiter wasn’t sure either and suggested going to the beach La Nord. Charlie drank her coffee, took a few pictures, and cycled a bit further up the beach.
She found the competition at the beach La Central right in front of the Hossegor Surf Club. There were some tents on the beach and speakers for live commentary. The surfers were wearing the Quiksilver jerseys from the year before. It must be a great feeling for non-professional surfers to wear those in the water.
It was a warm, sunny day, one could almost describe it as a hot summer day – in October. In the competition were 32 surfers that were competing against each other in groups of 4 in 20-minute-heats. It was hard though for a non-local to follow or to understand any names. It seemed as if it was a great day for the members of the surf club, but it wasn’t meant to attract an international audience.
