The uber-cute little town of Zarautz will play host to a QS1,500 in April, bringing the best of European surfing back to the Basque Country for the occasion.
Basque people love their surfing, and came out to prove it. - WSL / Damien Poullenot
If you're not familiar with the area, picture San Sebastian - Donostia as the locals call it - but a tad smaller. A similar half-moon shaped central bay, awesome narrow paved streets with tapas-bars everywhere, and great surf.
Waves pump on finals day in Zarautz and Jonathan Gonzalez & Pauline Ado emerge victorious.
There's a rich tradition of professional surfing events in Zarautz too, World Champion Gabriel Medina won a (then) ASP 6-Star qualifying event in 2011 and long time CT campaigner Aritz Aranburu emerged from this very stretch of Basque sand.
Now despite the limited 1,500 ranking points on offer, the Pro Zarautz will be an important event for surfers from the Old Continent as they continue their bid towards the prestigious European title, and try to amass more QS points in the first half of the season.
The kind of ability Aritz matured over the years in Zarautz. - WSL / Damien Poullenot
Last year's winners Jonathan Gonzalez later clinched his maiden regional crown, and Pauline Ado successfully re-claimed a spot on the Championship Tour, proving that performances on smaller-scale events can go a long way.
Who will follow in these two's footsteps and take top honors in Zarautz this year ? Find out right here, from April 19-23 !
Zarautz often pumps this kind of delicacies. - WSL / Damien Poullenot
Basque Country Adds Up to the Spring Leg of QS Events in Europe
Nicolas Leroy
The uber-cute little town of Zarautz will play host to a QS1,500 in April, bringing the best of European surfing back to the Basque Country for the occasion.
If you're not familiar with the area, picture San Sebastian - Donostia as the locals call it - but a tad smaller. A similar half-moon shaped central bay, awesome narrow paved streets with tapas-bars everywhere, and great surf.
There's a rich tradition of professional surfing events in Zarautz too, World Champion Gabriel Medina won a (then) ASP 6-Star qualifying event in 2011 and long time CT campaigner Aritz Aranburu emerged from this very stretch of Basque sand.
Now despite the limited 1,500 ranking points on offer, the Pro Zarautz will be an important event for surfers from the Old Continent as they continue their bid towards the prestigious European title, and try to amass more QS points in the first half of the season.
Last year's winners Jonathan Gonzalez later clinched his maiden regional crown, and Pauline Ado successfully re-claimed a spot on the Championship Tour, proving that performances on smaller-scale events can go a long way.
Who will follow in these two's footsteps and take top honors in Zarautz this year ? Find out right here, from April 19-23 !
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Pro Zarautz
Second edition of Pro Zarautz culminates in exciting finals day to crown Gony Zubizarreta and Carol Henrique as event champions.
Zubizarreta claims his second win in less than two weeks, while Henrique nabbed her first-ever major win.
Usual suspects take full control of proceedings on Day 3 of action at the Pro Zarautz.
Four heats unfold in tricky surf as the women's quarterfinalists emerge in the Basque Country.
Men and women fields take turn to post big performances on second day of Pro Zarautz.