Review of ESL 01 - CAP FERRET 2011 (english)

This review was written by Marianick Pichon and she writes about the first stage of European Skim League celebrated in Le Pointe beach (Cap Ferret, France). Special thanks to Marianick and the organization of ESL Cap Ferret 2011.


Alright, it's over ! After three competitions in three weeks, Cap-Ferret is peaceful again...until next year !

After regional and national competitions, a european stage took place from the 8^th to the 10^th of July in La Pointe beach

Friday, 9:00 a.m, arrival of the riders on the beach. Coffee for everybody, so we can wake up, waiting for the tide to fill in, then confirmation of the registrations. This shows that if the French are as numerous as usual and sent their best riders, Spain and Netherlands apparently chose to save themselves for the UST in September. Portugal is though represented by quality riders, say for example Hugo Santos, multiple European champion, and two « rising stars », Simão Pinto and Rafael Santos. English skimboarders are present too.
The competition is finally launched while the tide is filling in, which commonly offers difficult conditions here in La Pointe. The Portuguese, very comfortable, are one head above everyone and ride some beautiful waves, in the free-session zone as well as during their heats. Then comes the second round, in cleaner but smaller conditions, due to the tide now filling out...

Rendez-vous on saturday midday, for the final rounds : quarters, semis and final !
Despite a few surprise eliminations in the previous round, we find the the principal pretendants : the two Santos (who are NOT brothers !), Pinto, Tristan Lamy (twice champion of France) and Axel Cristol (Cap-Ferret local and winner of the national event the previous week).

Waves are here, but they're far, and the slope damaged by the swell doesn't help to run ; those who want to catch something else than white water are going to have to be technical ! This game is better played by the locals and the mainstays : the final four is composed of Hugo Santos (31 years old) and Laurent Lozes (36 years old) opposed to Tristan Lamy and Axel Cristol, 21 and 19 years old ! Judges and spectators see then a very close heat : riders nail nice rides but Hugo Santos, enjoying the slope finally cleaned by the tide, makes the grade with the best ride of the contest ! But be careful, the total of the points is made of five waves...
Then comes the women final. Unfortunately they're only three, and moreover three French. Anyway, in conditions a bit easier than men's, girls go on, hoping to show that skimboarding is not only for boys !

Results and prizes at the Endless Summer, a little restaurant litterally on the beach. Everyone's talking about the final, but from general opinion, « it's freakin' close ! ». Freakin' close indeed, as first and second respectively have 125 and 122,5 points ! In the end, it's a new victory for Hugo SANTOS, not ready to let the young generation take his place ! Nevertheless, he's followed very closely by Axel CRISTOL, then Tristan LAMY, then Laurent LOZES. For the girls, Marianick PICHON wins, followed by Cécile FRANSSEN then Juliette CECCARELLI. All that is left to do is to thank the Portuguese, the English and of course the French who came over for the contest ! See you soon in Cap-Ferret !