Stab Magazine | Stab's France Form Guide

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

405 Views

Stab’s France Form Guide

The Quik Pro, France rumbles in the totally-close future. The title race has never looked better (Kelly ain’t dominating for once and there’s a few freckled noses headed for the line), and the Euro beachies always make for exciting uncertainty (kinda like Dane Reynolds’ surfing, also on show at La Grav this weekend). You’ll find no baguette or red wine references here, but instead the men that Stab believes will command beyond the quarters. Do you agree, or no? Do tell. Mick Fanning Mick leads this year, by a stretch! All those firsts and thirds are a warm blanket. He won France in ’09 and ’10 and, even more importantly, knows he’s gotta keep it tight in the biz end of tour. “Kelly and I both knew what was going on and if I got on top from there the title race would have just been further away,” said Mick after losing to Kelly at Lowers. “The ocean didn’t really cooperate with me, but a third is a keeper. It’s another result I don’t have to worry about.” **** Gabriel Medina He won last year. Does he need more reason than that to be a favourite? If there’s a wind blowing into any kinda left, as there was in last year’s final, expect some more loopy rotations. Though they’re losing traction with the judges quickly, the right inversion will always scoop points in the excellent ride-range. And that’s all the kid needs. **** Kelly Slater Kelly ain’t so sentimental that he’ll leave on a 50th win. Y’kidding? Fifty-one is better than 50! Fifty-two, even more divine! We dare not count the King outta this list. He just won the Hurley Pro and knows better than anyone what he needs to stay in the race. “My back is against the wall to be honest,” Kelly said at Lowers. “Every heat is really important if I want to be in the title race at the end of the year. I don’t really have any room to move after missing Brazil and just a stupid mistake in Tahiti where Ricardo got me. Those are my two throwaways for the year, but sometimes that’s good though. It helps you keep your focus. I’ve just got to make the right choices and hope I don’t get smashed by someone early on.” **** John Florence Johnny proved in Rio that it ain’t just big barrels he blossoms in. He’s also dangerous in shifting beachies. And, La Graviere is a shifting beachie! Did you even realise he’d snuck to fourth in the title rankings? John’s way more competitive than he lets on and is gunning for a title, make no mistake. France is a real powdery bullet in the chamber. He also just won the Kustom Airstrike and was gifted $50k (handed over in person by Tony Hawk), if that counts for anything towards confidence levels. **** Dane Reynolds Allow us this little indulgence. It’s only a matter of time until the world’s most exciting surfer wins an event, is it not? His surfing doesn’t suit a jersey, this we know, but that doesn’t make the concept any less thrilling. Dane certainly has the talent to win any event. The question is, how hard will he try? **** Julian Wilson Jules likes to win and the bitterness of last year’s second place still sours his palette. The delight this kid takes from sand-bottomed walls and wedges, you couldn’t imagine. Lefts? Jules’ backside finners are some of the best on tour. Rights? Oops and air-revs, straight-consummate, thanks. Sprinkle some varials, full rotes and good face work on top and you’ve got the complete pie. “I have so many amazing memories of watching this event as a kid seeing Andy and Kelly go for it,” said Jules after last year’s final. “And to be in it now is a very special feeling.” But, that’s just us. Please tell us what you think…  

news // Mar 8, 2016
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 4 minutes

The Quik Pro, France rumbles in the totally-close future. The title race has never looked better (Kelly ain’t dominating for once and there’s a few freckled noses headed for the line), and the Euro beachies always make for exciting uncertainty (kinda like Dane Reynolds’ surfing, also on show at La Grav this weekend). You’ll find no baguette or red wine references here, but instead the men that Stab believes will command beyond the quarters. Do you agree, or no? Do tell.

Mick Fanning

Mick leads this year, by a stretch! All those firsts and thirds are a warm blanket. He won France in ’09 and ’10 and, even more importantly, knows he’s gotta keep it tight in the biz end of tour. “Kelly and I both knew what was going on and if I got on top from there the title race would have just been further away,” said Mick after losing to Kelly at Lowers. “The ocean didn’t really cooperate with me, but a third is a keeper. It’s another result I don’t have to worry about.”

****

Gabriel Medina

He won last year. Does he need more reason than that to be a favourite? If there’s a wind blowing into any kinda left, as there was in last year’s final, expect some more loopy rotations. Though they’re losing traction with the judges quickly, the right inversion will always scoop points in the excellent ride-range. And that’s all the kid needs.

****

Kelly Slater

Kelly ain’t so sentimental that he’ll leave on a 50th win. Y’kidding? Fifty-one is better than 50! Fifty-two, even more divine! We dare not count the King outta this list. He just won the Hurley Pro and knows better than anyone what he needs to stay in the race. “My back is against the wall to be honest,” Kelly said at Lowers. “Every heat is really important if I want to be in the title race at the end of the year. I don’t really have any room to move after missing Brazil and just a stupid mistake in Tahiti where Ricardo got me. Those are my two throwaways for the year, but sometimes that’s good though. It helps you keep your focus. I’ve just got to make the right choices and hope I don’t get smashed by someone early on.”

****

John Florence

Johnny proved in Rio that it ain’t just big barrels he blossoms in. He’s also dangerous in shifting beachies. And, La Graviere is a shifting beachie! Did you even realise he’d snuck to fourth in the title rankings? John’s way more competitive than he lets on and is gunning for a title, make no mistake. France is a real powdery bullet in the chamber. He also just won the Kustom Airstrike and was gifted $50k (handed over in person by Tony Hawk), if that counts for anything towards confidence levels.

****

Dane Reynolds

Allow us this little indulgence. It’s only a matter of time until the world’s most exciting surfer wins an event, is it not? His surfing doesn’t suit a jersey, this we know, but that doesn’t make the concept any less thrilling. Dane certainly has the talent to win any event. The question is, how hard will he try?

****

Julian Wilson

Jules likes to win and the bitterness of last year’s second place still sours his palette. The delight this kid takes from sand-bottomed walls and wedges, you couldn’t imagine. Lefts? Jules’ backside finners are some of the best on tour. Rights? Oops and air-revs, straight-consummate, thanks. Sprinkle some varials, full rotes and good face work on top and you’ve got the complete pie. “I have so many amazing memories of watching this event as a kid seeing Andy and Kelly go for it,” said Jules after last year’s final. “And to be in it now is a very special feeling.”

But, that’s just us. Please tell us what you think…

 

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

Correction: J-Bay All Foreplay, No Climax

Slim pickings on Day 1 of the Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025.

Jul 11, 2025

What Do Hollywood, Surf Lessons, Michael Jackson And Traction Pads Have In Common?

A Stab Interview with Teva Dexter, the man behind surfing's hardest new hardware brand —…

Jul 10, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

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

Jul 10, 2025

How Josh Ku Nearly Died Trying To Cross From Ulus to G Land by Hydrofoil

“If someone finds me dead at least they can find my phone and know what…

Jul 10, 2025

Expect No Kiss, All Climax At The “World’s Most Perfect Pointbreak”

A Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025 preview.

Jul 9, 2025

SEOTY: Liam O’Brien stars in ‘Friction of Perception’

"Hopefully I don’t come across like too much of a peanut."

Jul 8, 2025

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part One

“It’s like a drug empire, man. Cut the head off the snakes, and more will…

Jul 7, 2025

Mason Ho Joins Ritual Vision, Releases Remix Of Greatest Hits

Dion Agius riffs on the eyewear brand’s U.S. expansion, Ritualistic Tendencies, and the new stars…

Jul 7, 2025

Is It Time For A New Judging Format?

We have a modest proposal — a WSL head judge disagrees.

Jul 7, 2025

Luke Thompson Turns Last Year’s Priority Disaster Into Ballito Gold

+ earns himself a wildcard into Jbay.

Jul 7, 2025

Fiji Has Its First Professional Surfer, And He’s Unbelievable

16-year-old James Kusitino’s incomprehensible tube lounging leads to a deal with Former.

Jul 6, 2025

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

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
Advertisement