CI Team Blazes Through France and into the Semis
Channel Islands Teamriders Lakey Peterson (USA) and Johanne Defay (FRA) are both ready for a semi-final start at the Roxy Pro France. The past few days both have had outstanding performances in Hossegor’s thumping, shifty beach break peaks that have offered epic barrels and big, long righthand walls for them to unload on.
Lakey, current No. 2 on the Jeep Leaderboard, connected with the lip a few times on her way to a solid 12.60 total for her spot into Semifinal 1. “I rode that same board at Bells, it’s a little bit similar out there,” said Lakey. “There’s more water than you think, the wave face may not be that big but there’s a lot of water moving so it felt nice to be on a bigger board and do bigger turns!”
After posting a 9.00 point ride for a deep barrel on her Happy model during the Round of 16, Johanne dismantled a big righthander with two huge turns for a near-perfect 9.40 in her quarterfinal. The Reunion Island surfer attacked the almost double-overhead set just like it was a 3-foot wave and showed no mercy for her opponents and looks ready to make a run at the final. Defay started to turn her season around with a Quarterfinal in J-Bay this summer, before posting an impressive runner-up result at the Freshwater Pro and is guaranteed another big finish in France this week.
“I had a great time out there,” said Defay. “I was a bit skeptical when they sent us out at La Nord on the incoming tide but with 50min heats, we really had time to find the right waves and I got that very nice one with the 9. That wave just had a great wall and I didn’t need a huge score so I focused on the first turn and gave it everything. Then I saw I actually had time to hit it a second time.”
Over on the Men’s side of things, Quiksilver wildcard Marc Lacomare (FRA) posted the day’s upset during the Round of 32, as he eliminated the current World No. 2 Filipe Toledo (BRA). The Hossegor local found the tubes in a lineup he knows perfectly and built a healthy 12.83 total while Toledo struggled to identify the right opportunities. The Brazilian answered with a deep and technical barrel ride for a 7.10, the highest single score of the heat, but it wasn’t enough and Marc moves on to the Round of 16 along with other CI Teamrider Zeke Lau who has been on fire all event.
Surf better be Happy.
Tune in to worldsurfleague.com for the next call and the final day of the Roxy Pro France.
