ASP LQS Focus: Interview with Rising French Longboarder Remi Arauzo
VIEUX BOUCAU, France (Saturday, March 27, 2010) – With the 2010 ASP European Tour about to kick-off next week and Europe’s best longboarders readying to battle at the renowned Spanish town of Tapia for the ASP LQS 1-Star Goanna Pro Tapia, ASP Europe sat down with rising talent Remi Arauzo, a multiple national champion and European leader that appeared to the international stage last year.
Arauzo, who has dedicated his life to longboarding through hard work, training and significant investments to give himself all chances to make it to the top of his sport, will compete for his second consecutive year on the ASP World Longboard Tour (WLT), the elite circuit of professional longboarding.
Before leaving for Tapia where he will try and better his equal 3rd place finish from last year, the Vieux Boucau native tells us about his life as a professional longboarder, hoping for his sport to get in the spotlights more often. Already guaranteed to compete on the WLT after wrapping-up his first year ranked No. 14 in the world in 2009, Arauzo will have nothing to lose when he battles top Europeans in Tapia next week. Check out the man’s insights…
Age: 22
Home spot: Vieux Boucan, France
Career Highlights: European Tour of Longboard Champion (2008), 5th in ASP WLT Oxbow Pro Maldives (2009), 5th in the ISA World Surfing Games (2009), 2nd European Surfing Championships (2009)
Sponsors: No major sponsor, Madness Wetsuits and equipment, la Maison de l’Espadrille, Sexwax, Jeewin
ASP Europe (ASPE): Who are you and what’s been your life as a longboarder until now?
Remi Arauzo (RA): My name is Remi Arauzo a.k.a Shloose or Shawn. I started longboarding at 10 years old encouraged by former top European longboarder Antoine Cardonnet (FRA) who really pushed me into that specific division of surfing. I was trained by former pro and surf artist Remi Bertoche and Thomas Espil then got into competition. Year after year I got better results which really pushed me to keep going. I won three regional titles and placed second in the nationals so it made sense to take a chance at the higher level.
ASP: What’s your best memory in competition?
RA: I’ve had a good year in 2009 finishing with a ion in the French national team and a couple of solid results in Costa Rica and Jersey, respectively for the World Surfing Games and European Championships. But looking back on last year, I keep my run in the Maldives as something really special, with a win over longboard specialist Mathew Moir (ZAF). That was a huge confidence boost.
ASP: How is 2010 looking and what’s been happening so far?
RA: I started the year off well with a 3rd place finish in the ASP LQS event in San Diego, and to know I am guaranteed to compete on the WLT is also a great relief. I am just back in France after a couple of months away training with Julien Hamel in South America and the United States and still focusing on that because I really hope it can take me further. It’s been hard work on both the physical and technical aspects, with a major focus on my stretching as well as video analysis of my surfing. I feel it’s been very efficient because I have changed my approach on my positioning when surfing and I feel mentally stronger when in competition. Thinigs are in place for a good year and I am hoping for a better year in 2010.
ASP: What’s your view on the recent changes affecting professional surfing?
RA: The new criteria announced for 2010 seem to match longboard surfing better with commitment and innovation coming into the equation a lot more without losing the classical side of it with nose-riding remaining crucial to reach the perfect score. I think I have a a good variety of moves and maneuvers. Longboarding has become very progressive and impressive nowadays and it’s really exciting to be part of the game.
ASPE: Anything else?
RA: I’d like to thank my parents and grand-parents who keep making my career possible. I would like to see a true and solid ASP European Longboard Tour either by itself or along with the current European Tour of Longboard (ETL). It would be great to see longboard surfing become more popular and to be recognized as other professional surfers. I’ll finish by thanking all the longboarders who keep attending events and hoping to be in the spotlights. A big thank to Terry Surfboards, Madness, Jeewin, Sexwax and La Maison de l’Espadrille.
News, photos, results and videos available at www.aspeurope.com
(ASPWORLDTOUR:13902)
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