Stab Magazine | A Paddle Session At Belharra

Live Now — Episode 3 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

21 Views

A Paddle Session At Belharra

You know Belharra, right? That big wave magnet near Jean de Luz in the French Basque Country? Well, a storm named Hercules hit it overnight. Shane Dorian, Jamie Mitchell, Benjamin Sanchis, Twiggy Baker, Justine Dupont, Greg Long, Anthony Walsh, Peyo Lizarazu and plenty more came in wild for kicks. Peyo whipped some of the morning’s best waves, but it quickly became a paddle-only session as the tide dropped (Belharra favours the lower tide). Quiksilver France guru Nic Dazet was in a boat in the channel. Stab spoke with him while still in the boat, during which Nic interrupted himself frequently to whoop in real time as the team in the lineup scratched or whipped into bombs. He also told us more about the session after it’d wrapped. “Peyo Lizarazu whipped into the best tow wave of the day, but then it turned into a paddle-only session,” Nic says. “(Shane) Dorian got the sickest one paddling, a left. It wasn’t the biggest, he just timed it perfectly. Benjamin Sanchis went right on the same one and fell. Jamie Mitchell did the sickest air drop on the biggest one of the day, easy 30 feet, but then ate shit.” As an aside, Twiggy Baker and Jamie almost didn’t make it out there this morning. They rolled down to the water at pitch black to find their ski underwater. Luckily it worked out and they made it to the lineup in time for Jamie to almost make said air drop and allow us the pleasure of the photo you’ll see above. While eating a cepes omelette at them Hendaye harbour after the session, Shane and Benny discussed Jamie’s wave: Benny: What size you think Jamie’s wave was?Shane: It’s hard to tell, but that wave was over 60 feet for sure. It wasn’t the biggest wave I’ve seen today, but it was a really good one. Even for towing, it was a big wave.Benny: Yeah, that wave had more wall than most of the sets today. You saw how hard it is to be in the right spot to catch the wave? Sometimes you have the feeling you’re at the right spot but if you end up a bit on the shoulder you miss it.Shane: You don’t want to be behind either, you really need to be on the top. The wave is so fast that if you were anywhere but the peak you can’t catch it. I wish I got to have get more tries.Benny: Too bad it wasn’t breaking yesterday, we could have had two sessions in one swell.Shane: It’s a great spot to paddle, you can definitely catch some huge waves there… “This was the first real paddle session here,” says Nic. “A lot of broken boards. But then the wind come on strong and the sets died off. It was still decent Belharra.” Even if a little underwhelming. But, how could it not be in an age of ultrahype because the internet?

news // Mar 8, 2016
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

You know Belharra, right? That big wave magnet near Jean de Luz in the French Basque Country? Well, a storm named Hercules hit it overnight. Shane Dorian, Jamie Mitchell, Benjamin Sanchis, Twiggy Baker, Justine Dupont, Greg Long, Anthony Walsh, Peyo Lizarazu and plenty more came in wild for kicks. Peyo whipped some of the morning’s best waves, but it quickly became a paddle-only session as the tide dropped (Belharra favours the lower tide).

Quiksilver France guru Nic Dazet was in a boat in the channel. Stab spoke with him while still in the boat, during which Nic interrupted himself frequently to whoop in real time as the team in the lineup scratched or whipped into bombs. He also told us more about the session after it’d wrapped. “Peyo Lizarazu whipped into the best tow wave of the day, but then it turned into a paddle-only session,” Nic says. “(Shane) Dorian got the sickest one paddling, a left. It wasn’t the biggest, he just timed it perfectly. Benjamin Sanchis went right on the same one and fell. Jamie Mitchell did the sickest air drop on the biggest one of the day, easy 30 feet, but then ate shit.”

As an aside, Twiggy Baker and Jamie almost didn’t make it out there this morning. They rolled down to the water at pitch black to find their ski underwater. Luckily it worked out and they made it to the lineup in time for Jamie to almost make said air drop and allow us the pleasure of the photo you’ll see above.

While eating a cepes omelette at them Hendaye harbour after the session, Shane and Benny discussed Jamie’s wave:

Benny: What size you think Jamie’s wave was?
Shane: It’s hard to tell, but that wave was over 60 feet for sure. It wasn’t the biggest wave I’ve seen today, but it was a really good one. Even for towing, it was a big wave.
Benny: Yeah, that wave had more wall than most of the sets today. You saw how hard it is to be in the right spot to catch the wave? Sometimes you have the feeling you’re at the right spot but if you end up a bit on the shoulder you miss it.
Shane: You don’t want to be behind either, you really need to be on the top. The wave is so fast that if you were anywhere but the peak you can’t catch it. I wish I got to have get more tries.
Benny: Too bad it wasn’t breaking yesterday, we could have had two sessions in one swell.
Shane: It’s a great spot to paddle, you can definitely catch some huge waves there…

“This was the first real paddle session here,” says Nic. “A lot of broken boards. But then the wind come on strong and the sets died off. It was still decent Belharra.”

Even if a little underwhelming. But, how could it not be in an age of ultrahype because the internet?

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Laird Hamilton on The Limitations of Being a Purist, Invention vs. Ownership + Why He Never Had a Sticker Deal 

Untold stories from his How Surfers Get Paid interview.

Jul 4, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

"The tribe has spoken," Dane Reynolds pronounced, and a surfer's torch was snuffed.

Jul 3, 2025

When Surfer’s Eye Is Actually Cancer

Erin Campbell's brutal journey from surf camp dreams to chemo drops, cryotherapy, and surgical horror.

Jul 3, 2025

Surfing’s 2025 Q2 Report

An assessment of surfing's vital signs throughout the second quarter of 2025.

Jul 2, 2025

What Actually Happened to Occy’s Mad Max Plunger Pool In Yeppoon?

Surf Lakes’ brass talks: internet hecklers, the unplugging of the plunger, and the Tom Curren…

Jul 2, 2025

Poor Goofy Foots 

Data shows that the world is stacked against goofs — they even make 15% less money than…

Jul 1, 2025

Britain’s First Wavepool Has Closed — What Really Happened?

Bankruptcy, social media hackings, debts unpaid — and yet, reopening looms.

Jul 1, 2025

Watch: Was Matt Meola’s Air Actually Better Than Hughie’s?

Watch the full Swatch Nines highlight reel and decide.

Jun 30, 2025

Houshmand Bludgeons Field To Win Second CT — Molly Picklum Tastes Blood, Snatches World #1 In Brazil

You can't argue with big surfing — that's Saquarema wrapped.

Jun 29, 2025

37 Years Old And World #1 — What’s Changed For Jordy Smith?

On rediscovering decades old surfboard templates, having a personality on the CT, and why this…

Jun 27, 2025

Tom Lowe Stars in ‘Let Me Live’

The wild, improbable ascent of Britain’s best big-wave surfer.

Jun 27, 2025

Saq Wrap: Italo Celebrates Mid-Heat, Griff Drops A Freestyle, Jordy + Yago Continue BBQing 20-YOs

Top seeds sow ruin, Final 5 starts to crystallize.

Jun 27, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 2

Our seven surviving surfers confront an oddly large California beach break.

Jun 26, 2025

SEOTY: The ‘Once-In-A-Decade’ Caribbean Swell That Kelly Slater Passed On

Michael Dunphy stars in Jimmicane's 'Blue Veil'

Jun 25, 2025

Who Owns Bingin? Legal Fight To Stop Demolition Begins

Eviction notices served for all businesses built on state land.

Jun 25, 2025

Tony Hawk Just Named Hughie Vaughan’s Internet-Breaking Air Because… No One Else Can

89% of our IG poll respondents claimed the 'stale fish flipper' was the best air…

Jun 25, 2025

German Surfers: AN INVESTIGATION

Truth is the light by which the world can see. 

Jun 24, 2025

“I Lost Everything I’ve Ever Owned, But This Board Came Back”

One month after the LA wildfires, a surfboard washed ashore.

Jun 24, 2025
Advertisement