“I had to fight a lot” … The only pro surfer in the area, Tristan Guilbaud rubs shoulders with the top of the wave

Back to basics for Tristan Guilbaud. On the occasion of the French surfing championships, this Vendée native of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, will be present on the coast of his department. At 30, the surfer will rediscover the waves of his childhood. Those he tamed at the age of 11, on his first board, made by his father. “He’s the one who gave me this passion. We try to surf together when I come back to Vendée, ”says Tristan, a professional surfer for ten years.

His professional career was not, however, a long quiet river. While taking his first broth late, at the age of 11, the Vendéen then joined the only surfing sport-study in France, in Bayonne. A “special” transition for him, where he discovers a new sliding environment. “In Vendée, surfing was not very developed compared to the Landes or the Basque Country. There is no straightforward course to become a professional surfer. I had to fight a lot, ”he says.

From Vendée to the world’s top

The young Vendée then faces strong competition and must “fight” to find his place. “It took years. Especially when you come from a region that is not too well known… ”. However, he catches the eye of Quicksilver, who supports him until he is 20 years old. Then nothing. In the bottom of the wave, Tristan questions his future. “However, I came out of a good season, where I was 8th European in the Under-21s. But without a sponsor, this is not possible. “

Then it is the Protest brand that makes him sign in its ranks. A brand that he still represents today, and with which he has a series of good performances on beaches around the world. In the European Top 8, the Vendéen is now feeling “the top of the world basket” and qualified for the first time this season, for the Worlds, which bring together the 80 best surfers on the planet. It must be said that the surfer has worked hard to reach this level. Muscle strengthening three times a week and surfing every day, “regardless of the conditions”: this is Tristan Guilbaud’s recipe.

“Much better than at 20”

The one who now lives in Cape Breton, in the Landes, will find the waves of his youth on the occasion of the French Championships, which begin this Saturday in Les Sables-d’Olonne. He will surf not far from his favorite spots in Vendée: Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie and Brétignolles-sur-Mer.

“I’m happy to represent the region. It is always a pleasure to surf for the Vendée ”. Even if he does not aim “for a particular place”, Tristan will be the pride of an entire department. “I feel a lot better than I was 20 years old. It’s almost exhilarating to see that at 30, I perform like that! The Vendéen still has some great sessions ahead of him.