Surf & Co
Presented by Bordeaux Management School
Grade 4 ITSA event
Mimizan Beach, France
29 May 2010

The International Tandem Surfing Association (ITSA) Grade-4 Surf & Co presented by Bordeaux Management School (BME) is set to host French s finest up-and-coming competitive pedigree between The pass and the beach in Mimizan Beach, France May 29, 2010.

With all competitors out to finish within the top four on the ITSA WTT Ranking after the second event on this season s calendar, the ITSA WTT4* Surf & Co Grade-4 status will offer crucial ratings points towards competitors ranking hopes to strive for the ITSA World Tour Title.

Clement & Dhelia (Biscaross, FRA), who are locals favorite entering the Surf & Co, will be entering the event at his very close break from home.

Although Clement & Dhelia hopes the support of the local crowd will loan them additional momentum in their quest for ITSA WTT Series event wins, the stylish regular-footer knows he has little advantage in the lineup due to Mimizan s often tricky conditions.

The local support helps but there s not much local knowledge when it comes to Mimizan, Clement said. The wave is just a closeout most of the time but it looks like this time gonna be different. This event s Grade-4 points mean a lot for sure, Clement said. I m going to try my best and let that take me where it wants to.

Rico & Sarah (Lacanau, FRA), who are the defending 2008 Surf&Co Champion and the current ITSA WTT 2009 World Champion, have been dialing in his equipment to suit Mimizan s beachbreak and hopes to capitalize on the spread out lineup at the upcoming event.

We think Mimizan is a really fun wave for a contest, Rico said. There are peaks all over so you can kind of sit off on your own and at the moment we have boards that work really well in those punchy beachbreaks and hopefully there is a little swell for the contest.

Although the 2008 defending champions are well aware of the event s substantial ratings points on offer, their main focus of getting back in the WTT lead by way of Star events relieves the pressure of a repeat performance at this year s ITSA Grade-4 event.

Since this contest is a Grade-4 you definitely want to do well here, Rico said. We have already missed the first event in California, so a win here could do a lot for us. We feel like we have less pressure in the World Tandem Tour than in the ISA World Title, and we can just surf and have fun and do our best.

The Surf & Co WTT4* Pro is not only a major stop on the ITSA World Tandem Tour but also the second stop on this year s ITSA European campaign and will be crucial for Europe s rising talents towards their dreams of success before the summer events. With the Tandem s tour in Europe becoming this strong, the future looks bright.

The ITSA Europe is very proud to sanction this major event on this year s ITSA WTT s Star Series, Laurie Despouy (ITSA Head judge) said. 2010 is a great renewal for Tandem s surfing in Europe and this new opportunity for our athletes is only the ning of what we hope to be a multi-year project.

Coming from a great 09 WTT 5 th place in the last season last year, regional ratings co leader Lacanau born surfer Jeremy Boisson & Julie Desarnaud (FRA) and reigning European Tandem s champion Alban Meric (FRA) will both attend the prestigious contest for a shot at the crown.

To start the year with a great 5th place at the seeding from last year was above our expectations and it gave us a great confidence boost for the year, Boisson said .I am looking at gaining experience on the 4 Star contest as well this year but this second WTT Pro event will definitely be an important step.

With over ten Teams focused on winning the first French event this week, all eyes of the Tandem surfing world will be on the ITSA WTT 4-Star heats, the beaches of Mimizan hosting the launch of what is expected to become a must-go stop on the ITSA France Open s World Tandem Tour event in a near future. With conditions looking promising and the sand bank of La centrale chosen as main location for the contest, all is set for a great show.

We have been checking all the main breaks of the area for the last three weeks and La Centrale in Mimizan has some exceptional sand banks this year, Surf & Co contest director Nicolas Mespled said. It s all about getting good waves and giving the opportunity to the world s best Tandem surfers to display their best performances and Mimizan has the best set-up by far at the moment.

The ITSA 4-Star Surf & Co run only May 29 at La Centrale in Mimizan, France. The event results will be at itsatandem.com where all photos, daily press releases and videos will be available.

www.itsatandem.com