#TeamSoöruz Wins 2018 Surf de Nuit Anglet

Jorgann Couzinet (FRA) flies over Marc Lacomare (FRA) to bring the title home to #TeamSoöruz. Image credit: / WSL / Masurel

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

The 25th edition of the Surf de Nuit Anglet unfolded in epic conditions at Chambre d’Amour with surfers taking on fun three-to-four foot peaks in front of massive crowds estimated at 25,000+ people.

The day started with various activations from the six brands represented in the event this afternoon, and a LIVE music show from Lida Lies that fired up the crowds early on. But what everybody was waiting for was the main show, the night surfing competition that started at 9:45 p.m.

The six surfers opening the show were freshly crowned Caraïbos Lacanau Pro Champion Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR), Kyllian Guerin (FRA), Charly Quivront (FRA), Thomas Debierre (FRA), Lorenzo Dubois (FRA) and Sam Piter (FRA).

Debierre had the lead for a while for #TeamSoöruz with a good backside air reverse and he even found a good little tube to post two high 6s. But #TeamRipCurl’s Guerin came back with a massive forehand rotation, his tail well above the lip and perfectly landed for an excellent 8.43, the highest single number of Heat 1, taking pole position.

Boukhiam, Quivront, Dubois and Piter all fought back, with power turns for the Moroccan and aerial antics for the other three. When the dust settled, the 2017 winning #TeamRipCurl took the first 6 points in Heat 1 and confirmed their domination on night surfing in Anglet.

“There were so many people on and around the beach it really felt like stepping into a stadium and I really wanted to give it all!” Guerin said. “I was the rookie in my team so I wanted to do the best I could and I’m stoked I could bring the win home for the team.”

A 5-minute intermission between each heat featured Trial bike demos with Monster Energy pilot Samuele Zuccali jumping ramps and throwing backflips to the sound of DJ Martin Martin.

The women’s Heat 2 featuring Juliette Lacome (FRA), Pauline Ado (FRA), Carol Henrique (PRT), Maud Le Car (FRA), Tessa Thyssen (FRA) and legendary French surfer Emmanuelle Joly took it to the lineup following the first heat.

Caribbean surfers Thyssen and Le Car battled for the lead in the first half of the heat but #TeamHurley’s Henrique came back with a long left backside and five radical turns for a 7.33 to steal the number one spot. She quickly backed up her main score with an average number on a right. #TeamQuikRoxy’s Lacome attacked the lip of a fun-looking right for a decent number and moved into second.

#TeamVolcom’s Le Car came back firing with two rights in under five minutes, posting a 7.50 and an excellent 8.10 to thrust the top position. The rest of the surfers watched as the stylish natural foot dominated the Chambre d’Amour l lineup with aggressive forehand lip bashes to take the win in Heat 2.

“There was such a fun vibe with all the girls out there, we don’t usually 45mn in the water without any pressure,” Le Car said. “It’s really hard to surf at night, especially with the LEDs that kind of blind you and I had a hard time at first. But thankfully I started finding good waves and I managed to show what I could do.”

The virtual leaderboard after Heat 2 had #TeamVolcom in first, #TeamSoöruz second, #TeamRipCurl third, #TeamQuikRoxy fourth, #TeamHurley fifth and #TeamPicture sixth.

The teams No. 1 athletes came up in the final heat with an all-French lineup of Marc Lacomare, Vincent Duvignac, Adrien Rapp, William Aliotti, Jorgann Couzinet and Julien Thouron in the water.

Last year’s winner Duvignac got an early start with a couple of waves below average with just one turn on each. He later further asserted his pole position with a combination of turns on his forehand for a 6.50 to push #TeamRipCurl up front. Lacomare and Thouron both found a good air section on back-to-back lefts, but Lacomare went higher for a 6.90 against Thouron’s 4.93.

The current World No. 6 on the QS, Couzinet also wanted his piece of the pie and threw a good reverse on his forehand for a 6.87 to put #TeamSoöruz in the lead. But the fireworks continued and with four minutes on the clock, Lacomare launched into another big forehand rotation perfectly executed and received an excellent 8 point ride to put #TeamQuikRoxy back on top of the virtual leaderboard.

Couzinet, completely unfazed from the situation started on a right and pulled arguably the biggest air of the whole night in the dying minutes for a near-perfect 9.93 to finally give #TeamSoöruz the big win!

OVERALL RANKINGS SURF DE NUIT ANGLET 2018:

1 - Soöruz, 14 pts

2 - Quiksilver & Roxy, 12 pts

3 - Rip Curl, 12 pts

4 - Volcom, 11 pts

5 - Hurley, 8 pts

6 - Picture 6 pts

#TeamSoöruz walks away with three wildcards for the upcoming Pro Anglet pres. by Oakley as a bonus for their win today. The QS1,500 will unfold this week from August 21-26 on the same spot at Chambre d’Amour. Debierre and Thyssen will use the wildcard for a spot in the latter rounds, and the third will be awarded for another Soöruz surfer.

“It’s always fun to surf in a team event cause we spend the whole year surfing for and by ourselves,” Thyssen and Debierre added. “”Every point counts so we felt like we participated in the victory. And the wildcard slot in the Pro Anglet is a huge bonus for the two of us.”

The Surf de Nuit Anglet unfolded on August 19, 2018 at La Chambre d’Amour, Anglet - France. For all results, photos, and video highlights log on to worldsurfleague.com.

The Surf de Nuit Anglet is supported by the city of Anglet, Torq, Venon, Toyota/Makila Auto, Suez, Atlanthal, Monster Energy, Tourtel Twist, L’Equipe and Virgin Radio among others.