France’s Justine Dupont duplicates strong round 1 performance with women’s high heat total
Mexico’s Jonathan Melendres shines in Repechage, nabs high heat total on day 3
Brazil’s defending Silver Medalist Chloe Calmon falls into Repechage
Afridun Amu bows out of event, inspires hope for surfing in Afghanistan
Tuesday’s competition at the 2019 ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship in Biarritz, France featured the first elimination Repechage Rounds in the Men’s and Women’s Divisions. Seventeen competitors were eliminated from the recording-breaking field of competitors, comprised of 102 athletes from 31 countries.
France’s Justine Dupont repeated her strong performance from Round 1 and once again earned the highest women’s heat total with 11.44 points in the Main Event. Dupont’s top performance is added momentum for Team France, after Antoine Delpero excited the local crowd at Côte des Basques with the event’s highest heat total in the Men’s Division on Monday.
Brazil’s 2018 Silver Medalist, Chloe Calmon, one of the strong Gold Medal favorites, was unable to find high scoring waves in the afternoon conditions and was relegated to the Repechage Rounds where she’ll have to take the long road to the Grand Final.
Calmon was defeated by Japan’s 2018 Copper Medalist Natsumi Taoka, who earned the second highest heat total of the day for the women with 11.04, and USA’s Lindsay Steinriede. Both continue in the Main Event on their quests for Gold.
Mexico’s Jonathan Melendres put on a gutsy showing to avoid elimination in the Men’s Repechage Rounds, earning a heat total of 11.80, which held to be highest of the day in the difficult, windy conditions.
“I surfed like I know I can surf,” said Melendres. “I got a little nervous in the Repechage, but I maintained my composure. It’s incredible what I achieved, and I know I can still achieve more.”
Belgium’s Sascha Borrey (10.73) and Canada’s Christian Thomson (9.83) followed Melendres atop the high heat totals of the Men’s Repechage Rounds, keeping their medal hopes alive.
Chinese Taipei’s Mei-Hsin Pan stayed in the competition by advancing in the Women’s Repechage Rounds, speaking about her experience at this year’s World Championship.
“It’s my second year competing in the ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship and each year it gets better and better,” said Pan. “The level of competition keeps getting higher.
“My goal for this event is to try to make as many friends as I can and learn about French culture here in Biarritz. Competing with the best longboarders in the world teaches me how to stay calm and be myself. You can’t get nervous when competing against the best.”
Afghanistan’s Afridun Amu, who has become an inspiring figure in the global surfing community as a representative of Afghanistan, bowed out of the event in the Men’s Repechage Rounds.
Amu, who became the first Afghan competitor to represent his nation in an ISA event at the 2017 ISA World Surfing Games also in Biarritz, returned to represent Afghanistan in the Longboard discipline.
“It gives so many people in Afghanistan joy and hope to see that one of their compatriots is able to go surfing.
“With Afghanistan being a country that suffers from war and so many troubles for centuries, to have something like surfing where you don’t think so much and just be in the element, makes so much sense to bring to my home country. That is what I hope my participation in this event can accomplish.”
ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:
“The Repechage Rounds are signature mark of an ISA World Championship. Even the best surfers can have a bad day, so we give them a second chance to redeem themselves and continue in the event.
“I’ve seen dozens of surfers earn the gold medal via the elimination Repechage Rounds, which have produced some of the most memorable, gutsy performances.
“The conditions are looking much better heading into the second half of the event window. I’m looking forward to watching more excellent footwork from the world’s best longboarders at Côte des Basques.”
The schedule for Wednesday’s competition is as follows:
- 7am – 9:40am – 8 heats Men Main Event Round 2
- 9:40am – 10:40am – 3 heats Women Main Event Round 3
- 10:40am– 12:pm – 4 heats Men Main Event Round 3
- 12pm – 2:40pm – 8 heats Men Repechage Round 2
- 2:40pm – 4:40pm – 6 heats Women Repechage Round 2
Schedule is subject to changes and possible delays during the afternoon high tide.
View all results here.
Follow the action live on www.isasurf.org.
