On the initiative of Thomas Traversa & JB Caste (French pro riders) who wanted to meet their friends on a friendly wave contest by teams, a 1st event was created and took place on Fuerteventura (Canary islands) in March 2009. The contest gathered some of the best international wavesailors on a competition launched in monster double mast high waves on the North Shore’s coast.

Sent on this «free expression» challenge, the dozen of guest waveriders battled in very extreme conditions allowing to crown not only one champion but a complete team. In more than 20 ft high waves, the show was really firing off and delivered some great images of extreme & radical rides, plus a really wide media coverage.

Now it seems that the island of La Reunion ideally collects the elements to the organization of a 2nd stage of an international «Wave Classic Tour».

Dates
A 10 to 12 days waiting period between 4th and 16th of September 2009 will allow us to catch the perfect weather conditions...

The spot
11 hours away by airplane from Paris, La Reunion has fantastic beaches on the South & West shores where the South swell breaks. Waves are powerful and intense like no others, peaks can reach up to more than 4 meters… Ideally sprayed by powerful Trade winds, the local spots then become fabulous playgrounds for waveriding. Ideally Any windsurfer’s holy dream!

The ultime goal
For 10 days, riders will be on "waiting period" on the West Coast of La Reunion. A base camp will be established towards St Pierre and after a daily morning meteorological check, riders will be allowed to choose among the 2-3 spots around.

As soon as the best conditions will be convenient for «extreme waveriding», riders will be sent on the water by heats or invited for a "free session" according to the number of participants and the conditions met on the D-day.

Riders must score the nicest and biggest waves each day in respect to their own styles. Being radical, taking risks, ride smoothly, picking up the right wave, will give the jury indicators allowing to score fairly and simply. The only one goal for the riders is to bring points to their respective team ! Those who do not run are judging those who are on the water.

But in La Réunion, as well as the coronation of the « best team » and the « best rider », we’ll also add some more categories : « worst wipe out », « sickest move » (powered by Soöruz), and « top local » of the event!

INTERNATIONAL GUESTS

ANTOINE ALBEAU
 Country : FRANCE/Ile de Ré
Age : 37
Sponsors: JP/NeilPryde/Quiksilver/Deboichet/Ford Lease
Best Wave Ranking:

DANI BRUCH
 Country : SPAIN/Tenerife
Age : 28
Sponsors: Exocet/O'Neill Wetsuits/Severne Sails/MFC/Ayuntamiento de Granadilla Deportes/otc-windsurf.com
Best Wave Ranking: 7th overall PWA 2008

RICARDO CAMPELLO
 Country : BRAZIL
Age : 24
Sponsors: JP/Neil Pryde/Campello Windcenter/MFC
Best Wave Ranking: 9th overall PWA 2008

JB CASTE
 Country : FRANCE/Marseille
Age : 24
Sponsors: 7th Wave/Ezzy/Mormaii/Da Kine
Best Wave Ranking: 13th Cabo Verde PWA 2008

VICTOR FERNANDEZ
 Country : SPAIN/Almeria
Age :25
Sponsors: Fanatic/North Sails/Quiksilver/MFC
Best Wave Ranking: Vice World Champion PWA 2007-2008

CAMILLE JUBAN
 Country : GUADELOUPE/St François
Age :19
Sponsors: Gun Sails/Tainos/Quatro/Long Horn energy drink/villedestfrançois.com/MFC/Vikteam wetsuits
Best Wave Ranking: 13th Cabo Verde PWA 2009

SCOTT Mc KERCHER
 Country : AUSTRALIA/Margaret River
Age :39
Sponsors: Starboard/ Severne/Flying objects/ Cockburn Joinery
Best Wave Ranking: World Champion PWA 2004

ALEX MUSSOLINI
 Country : SPAIN/Tenerife
Age : 24
Sponsors: Vandal Sails/Tabou/Plasma Boarding/Vikteam Wetsuits
Best Wave Ranking: 3rd overall PWA 2005

JULIEN TABOULET
 Country : FRANCE/Leucate
Age : 29
Sponsors: Naish boards/Naish Sails/Ville de Leucate/Petrol Hann/Choco fins/Vikteam
Best Wave Ranking: 3rd PWA Pozo 2007

THOMAS TRAVERSA
 Country : FRANCE/Marseille
Age : 23
Sponsors: Tabou/Gaastra/Quiksilver/Pat Love/Amex
Best Wave Ranking: 6th PWA Cabo Verde 2009

KLAAS VOGET
 Country : GERMANY/Hamburg
Age : 30
Sponsors: Fanatic/Neilpryde/Chiemsee/Powerbar/ION/MFC
Best Wave Ranking: 6th overall PWA 2008

LOCAL GUESTS

PIERRE GODET
 Country : LA REUNION/St Pierre
Age : 35
Sponsors: Quatro/Gun Sails/MFC/La Réunion Windsurf Shop
Best Wave Ranking: 7th French Championship AFW

NICOLAS ZABALA
 Country : LA REUNION/St Pierre
Age : 43
Sponsors : Naish/Quiksilver/Side On/Haize-Egoa
Best Wave Ranking: oups! None!

SOURCE: Reunion Wave Classic