Coup de France Surfing comes to Royan

Description:

The Coup de France Multiglisse (multi-discipline) surfing event opened on Friday under the Coubre Lighthouse on the Côte Sauvage.  Two months of planning and a 30,000€ budget, the event was a first for the Surfing Club of Royan.  Club members and volunteers were determined to make the event a success, in the hope that other major events such as the 2010 World Championships may come here in the future.

The event also marked the opening of new buildings for the surfing club, with the president of the FFS Jean-Luc Arassus and the national chief technical officer, François Pradier in attendance.  The date of 15^th August (a national holiday) was chosen not only for the expected conditions, but also to maximise exposure, with the beaches busy for the bank holiday.

The competition itself consisted of three categories, Senior, Open and Junior, and there were five separate disciplines: surfing, bodyboard, longboard, bodysurf and stand up paddle.  The first day of competition attracted around 100 competitors, and the fine sunshine and conditions gave the event the best possible start.  The impressions of the FFS hierarchy are eagerly awaited.