The Int'l Surfing Association has announced that Biarritz, France, will host the 2017 ISA World Surfing Games, bringing the competition to Europe for the first time since '08 when it was held in Costa da Caparica, Portugal. In May of '17, the world’s best national surfing teams will come together to compete for gold in the ISA’s flagship event in the world-renowned surf destination of Biarritz, located on France’s southwest coast. The ISA World Surfing Games were last held in Biarritz in '80, where U.S. surfer Tom Curren launched his career by taking the gold medal in the junior division. Since '03, the junior division has become a separate competition, the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (ISA).
SURF BUSINESS: In Sydney, Amanda Lulham reported Hawaiian professional surfer Coco Ho is the "first big name" to confirm her support for fellow world surf league competitor Sally Fitzgibbons' "first major foray into the business of surfing." Ho joins Laura Enever on the start list for the world surf league qualifying event, the Sydney Int'l Women’s Pro, "which will be held as part of Fitzgibbons’ International Beach Festival in November." The surfing event "will be the showcase of four days of sporting action at Cronulla Beach which will include ocean swimming, ironwoman racing and a mile sprint." It is also the final qualifying series surfing event of the year for women "hoping to either retain their spots on the World Surf league tour or earn a maiden appearance" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 9/19).
