While none of the bosses were looking, I broke free from my desk shackles and hot footed it to the Roxy Jam. Now Biarritz is a kick ass place to visit anytime in summer but never more so than when the ASP World Women’s Longboard Championships are taking place on La Côte des Basques beach. The sun is beaming, the Pyrenees are looking all hazy and poetic in the distance and hot girl and guy surfers are sitting on a stone wall watching the planet’s finest nose-riding supremos dance across the waves.

Jenn Smith, Kassia Meador, Chelsea Williams, Kelia Moniz and former Cooler cover star and UK Champ Candice O’Donnell are all here. The start was delayed until Sunday so the waves could get their act together and though they were still kinda small they were good enough to get the comp going. The big shock of Round 1 saw last year’s champion Joy Monahan crash out to Summer Romero and the tightest contest saw Chelsea Williams score 16.50 (out of 20) beating Cori Schumacher, executing a five-second perfect hang-five in the process, and staking an early claim for the title.

This was the scorecard:

ROXY ASP WWLC ROUND 1 RESULTS
Heat 1: Justine Dupont (FRA) 9.75 pts Def. Johanne Defay (REU) 4.75 pts
Heat 2: Yoko Furuchi (JPN) 14.50 pts Def. Claire Karabatsos (FRA) 8.65 pts
Heat 3: Kelia Moniz (HAW) 13.25 pts Def. Claire Dereux (FRA) 6.40 pts
Heat 4: Leah Dawson (USA) 12.00 pts Def. Michelle Hill (ZAF) 7.05 pts
Heat 5: Rachel Barry (USA) 8.85 pts Def. Philippa Hill (ZAF) 4.00 pts
Heat 6: Geodee Clark (HAW) 12.50 pts Def. Jennifer Flannigan (USA) 9.65 pts
Heat 7: Coline Menard (FRA) 10.90 pts Def. Crystal Dzigas (HAW) 9.25 pts
Heat 8: Summer Romero (USA) 12.75 pts Def. Joy Monahan (HAW) 11.50 pts
Heat 9: Chelsea Williams (AUS) 16.50 pts Def. Cori Schumacher (USA) 15.10 pts
Heat 10: Isabelle Braly (AUS) 8.25 pts Def. Karina Abras (BRA) 7.60 pts
Heat 11: Kassia Meador (USA) 12.50 pts Def. Renate Moerman (NDL) 4.10 pts
Heat 12: Miku Uemura (HAW) 13.25 pts Def. Georgia Young (AUS) 8.40 pts
Heat 13: Jennifer Smith (USA) 14.75 pts Def. Rosie Lock (AUS) 7.75 pts
Heat 14: Kelly Nicely (USA) 10.75 pts Def. Cristiana Pires (BRA) 7.85 pts
Heat 15: Julie Cox (USA) 9.25 pts Def. Pandora Decoster (FRA) 7.00 pts
Heat 16: Yuko Shimajiri (JPN) 7.00 pts Def. Candice O’Donnell (GBR) 4.80 pts

The waves are looking bigger and badder today, which bodes well for Round 2, which should kick off at 11am.

UPCOMING ASP WWLC ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS
Heat 1: Justine Dupont (FRA) Vs Yoko Furuchi (JPN)
Heat 2: Kelia Moniz (HAW) Vs Leah Dawson (USA)
Heat 3: Rachel Barry (USA) Vs Geodee Clark (HAW)
Heat 4: Coline Menard (REU) Vs Summer Romero (USA)
Heat 5: Chelsea Williams (AUS) Vs Isabelle Braly (AUS)
Heat 6: Kassia Meador (HAW) Vs Miku Uemura (HAW)
Heat 7: Jennifer Smith (USA) Vs Kelly Nicely (USA)
Heat 8: Julie Cox (USA) Vs Yuko Shimajiri (JPN)

I had a good (if not a little rusty) surf yesterday and can’t wait to get in the warm (no wetsuit required!) waters later, in between watching the comp AND Santigold (complete with shiny new name) plays on the beach tonight. We’re interviewing her for the next issue. Bring it on!