CARAÏBOS LACANAU PRO

France’s oldest professional surfing competition is celebrating its 45th edition.

Founded in 1979 on the beaches of Lacanau, the Caraïbos Lacanau Pro is the oldest professional surfing competition in France and Europe. For the past 45 years, it has brought together hundreds of athletes from the World Surf League’s Qualifying Series every summer – the world’s best surfers seeking points to qualify for the Championship Tour, the world’s surfing elite.

But here, the competition is just the starting point. What has developed around it over the past 45 years goes far beyond surfing: it is a week-long celebration of sport, culture and raising awareness, open to everyone.

Since 1979…

The history of Caraïbos Lacanau Pro is closely linked to that of the Lacanau Surf Club. The club, founded in July 1968, enjoyed immediate success; by the early 1970s, the association already had more than 50 members. After 22 years as president of the town’s surf club, Laurent Rondi is handing over the reins to Raphaël Lauga this year.

The Lacanau Pro was founded in 1978, on the initiative of René Guillet and Patrice Chrzan, with the aim of bringing together the best professional and amateur surfers of the time. The first event took place in 1979, making the Lacanau Pro one of the oldest surfing competitions in the world.

In 1983, the Association of Professional Surfers (ASP) – which has since become the World Surf League – included the event in its official circuit. Since then, the Caraïbos Lacanau Pro has never missed a year. With more than 45 editions held without interruption, this is a rare feat of longevity in the world of professional surfing.

It was here that the public first discovered Kelly Slater in 1994. Since then, the event has continued to unearth the future stars of European and world surfing, pitting them against the best athletes on the QS tour.

The Caraïbos Lacanau Pro is currently the only French event on the WSL Qualifying Series (QS) circuit.