Vive La France: Biarritz Longboard Qualifier Arrives

Teaser: Stop No.3 of European Longboard QS Arrives in Biarritz

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Professional longboarding heads back to the birthplace of surfing in Europe for the inaugural Longboard Pro Biarritz from June 7-10.

The Longboard Pro Biarritz will bring Europe's best waveriders to the iconic Côte des Basques in Biarritz. Here's everything you need to know about this very special event coming up soon.

Where Is The Event?

Biarritz is the birthplace of surfing in Europe. It arrived here over 60 years ago when the film crew from The Sun Also Rises brought a surfboard from California and started showing it to the locals.

Surfing has since supported local lifestyles and businesses, creating a entire, new industry in the region. Biarritz actually embraces the image of France's very own California, with a laid-back lifestyle and friendly atmosphere.

The beachside city has also hosted several WSL events in the past, including the women's World Longboard Championship at the Roxy Jam, the women's Championship Tour (CT) Roxy Pro, which crowned Carissa Moore as the 2011 World Champion and Stephanie Gilmore the 2012 World Champion, More recently, Biarritz hosted the BIG Surf Invitational, a specialty event in a team format.

The BIG Surf Invitational, a team-format with longboarders and shortboarders surfing side-by-side was a huge success. - WSL / Guillaume Arrieta

What Is This Event?

It will be the third stop on this year's European Longboard Qualifying Series, and help decide the 2018 European Champions as well as the surfers qualifying for the prestigious World Longboard Championship next year.

Brothers Edouard and Antoine Delpero have won everything there is to win in the region but, surprisingly, this year they're not leading the rankings. An event on home turf will be the perfect opportunity to try to claim back the top spots while representing the local crowds as best as they can.

"I am extremely happy to see an event like this come back to Biarritz," Edouard said. "We're going to see some of the best surfers in the world participate, and all the top Europeans for sure. It hasn't happened since the Biarritz Surf Festival and I was only 15 back then. I'm stoked to be a part of it this time."

The event will also run in conjunction with the BTZ Belza Classic, a 32-surfer format, men and women combined. Riding classic single-fin logs with no leash, the BTZ Belza Classic is a showcase of traditional longboarding in its purest essence and rewards style and grace over performance.

This longboard festival in Biarritz wouldn't be complete without entertainment for everyone and the organizers have put together a selection of sunset parties with live music from 6-9 p.m.

Funk, hip-hop and groove DJ Bass-Ka will play Thursday night. Odd Lights, a local punk-rock band will take the stage on Friday and Sunset Stereo Sound System will rock the Saturday night party with their Jamaican and Caribbean vibes at the event site.

When Is It?

Tune in from June 7 - 10, 2018 and check out all the photos, videos and updates right here!