Sports Surf

European VQS Volcomania Championships 2012, 28-29 April, Hossegor, France

EUROPEAN VQS VOLCOMANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012, 28-29 April, Hossegor, France

The Royal Rumble of the 2011-2012 European VQS tour went down last weekend in Hossegor. Good waves, heavy rain, chair smashing, the beach of Culs nus has seen it all! The contest gathered all the surfers that qualified over the 2011-2012 Volcom Qualifying Series in Europe; they came from North Ireland, Canary Islands, France, UK, Spain, Portugal and even Norway to battle for the VQS title, hunt for tubes, get a shot at the 5000€ prize money and some spots and trips to the World VQS champs in Newport Beach, California. Here is photo report of what went down during those two days of Volcomania!

A lot of people found the best way to shelter from the cold rain on day one, getting shacked as Gony Zubizarreta pictured here.

Jayce Robinson, keeping it tight.

Last year heavyweight European Champ PV Laborde was the top seeded surfer as reigning champion and Hossegor local. He took the second place with honors and qualified for the World VQS Volcomania in the US.

The Girls didn’t disappoint and all eyes were on Maud Lecar who took the win with stylish floats like these. Josephine Costes took second place with solid moves in the tricky conditions of Sunday.

Some madness occurred as always and bones got crushed, Volcomania saw action in and out the water!

Day one saw plenty of barrels, the first photo shows the only 10 point ride, claiming at this contest isn’t mandatory but it should. Antonia Marques from Canary on photo 2 is preparing for his next one, he defeated a lot of people before falling in the Pro/Am semis. William Allioti cruising in the dark of a perfect left on photo3.

Natxo Gonzalez did it again and conquered this year the Junior title belt throwing buckets of water at each of his turns. Hossegor local Guillaume Cassaigne was one of the few ones to unleash his moves and getting aired, he took the 3rd place in the Juniors.

The Electric Twins are ready to smash you

Leonardo Fioravanti entered the contest as an alternate and went all the way to the first place of the Groms division, getting covered with prizes, an electric guitar, a spot for the World VQS Champs and 500€!

Head Judge Didier Piter always keeping it tight

Gony Zubizarreta is always pushing extra hard, destroying everything on his path, took the European Pro/Am title belt and 1000€…he also won the 500€ Electric Volt Thrower with a bs air reverse on day 2 and a trip to the US, not a bad weekend for Jesus Barbarian (get your pro wrestling name: http://www.wrestlingname.com/)

Double Mysterio and Cardiac Gremlin ready to deal with the next fight, luckily our speaker Lord Animal was here to calm the tempers.

Million thanks to the surfers, families who made the journey to Hossegor, to the staff and our friends and VQS support that helped us organize this contest and stoke the kids.

Thanks to :

ELECTRIC
SEXWAX
GO PRO
VANS
HOSSEGOR SURF CLUB
SURF SESSION
BEACH BROTHER
HOSSEGOR CITY COUNCIL

Here are the official Results :

Groms:
1- Leonardo Fioravanti (Italy) 500€, Qualification to the World VQS Championships
2- Aldric God (France), Qualification to the World VQS Championships,
3- Charly Termeau (France)
4- Luis Diaz (Canary)

Girls:
1- Maud Lecar (France) 500€, Qualification and trip to the World VQS Championships
2- Josephine Costes (France)
3- Johanne Panzini (France)
4- Yoli Rodriguez Aneiros (Spain)

Juniors:
1- Ignacio Gonzales (Euskadi) 800€, Qualification and trip to the World VQS Championships
2- Harry Timson (UK) 400€, Qualification to the World VQS Championships
3- Guillaume Cassaigne (France) 300€
4- Andy Crière (France) 200€

Pro/Am:
1- Gony Zubizarreta (Spain) 1000€, Qualification and trip to the World VQS Championships
2- Pierre-Valentin Laborde (France) 600€, Qualification to the World VQS Championships
3- Thomas Lafonta (France) 400€
4- Dan Billon (France) 300€

ELECTRIC Volt Thrower: