The International Surfing Association (ISA) announced on September 19, 2016 that Biarritz, France will host the 2017 World Surfing Games. Since 2008 âeuros where the events were held in Costa da Caparica in Portugal, this will be the first time that Europe will host a competition. Biarritz, located on the southwest coast of France, is known worldwide for its spots.
France was in competition with Japan to organize its 2017 World Surfing Championships. Among the French regions, four applications had been sent to the French Surfing Federation last April, after a call for applications. Two candidates were selected: Biarritz Pays Basque (Biarritz, Bidart, Anglet) and the Department of Landes leaving on the side Lacanau and Reunion.
In May 2017, France will host the best surfing teams from each country to win gold in the ISA's flagship event. The ISA World Surfing Championships were last held in Biarritz in 1980. The legendary American surfer Tom Curren started his great career by winning the gold medal in the Junior division. Since 2003, the Junior division has become a full-fledged event with the ISA VISSLA World Junior Surfing Championship.
"The ISA World Surfing Games is an excellent event to show the world the quality of the waves and the beauty of the coastline of southwest France. We look forward to welcoming the national teams who will discover the French waves, surf culture and hospitality that our country has to offer. With Tokyo 2020 on the horizon, this is an exciting time for surfing. We look forward to welcoming some of the best surfers in the world, and potentially those who will be the very first at the Olympics, to what will be a wonderful surfing festival." explains Jean-Luc Arassus, President of the French Surfing Federation.
The World Surfing Nations Championships 2017
The French Surfing Federation will host the World Surfing Nations Championships in May/June 2017. These World Championships should gather more than 30 nations from 5 continents. The reception of this major international sporting event comes at a doubly strategic moment:
âeuros the officialization of surfing as an Olympic discipline since August 3, 2016
âeuros the designation of the host city of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2024, competition to which Paris is a candidate, will be made in September 2017, a few weeks after these World Championships of Surfing Nations.
The French Surfing Federation hopes that these 2017 World Championships of Nations will leave a lasting legacy for all stakeholders. And, more particularly, to allow it to accelerate its ambitious development.
