After reaching the round of 16 in the final stage of the Challenger Series (2nd division) in Saquarema, Brazil, on Tuesday, the 23-year-old accumulated enough points to advance to the highly selective Championship Tour (1st division). . He will face the best surfers on the planet next season.
New Caledonian surfer Marco Mignot won one of the last qualifying places on Tuesday October 15 to participate in the Championship Tour (CT) in 2025, the professional surfing circuit, becoming the ninth Frenchman in history to access it.
The 23-year-old reached the round of 16 of the final stage of the Challenger Series – the 2nd division – in Saquarema (Brazil) on Tuesday and accumulated enough points this season to secure a place in the top 10 of the general classification , synonymous with promotion.
“It’s a dream come true. I worked very hard to get here and manage to qualify in front of my father who was always there to encourage me, it’s the icing on the cake”Mignot explained to AFP on Tuesday evening.
The news had been made official a few hours earlier by the World Surf League, an American company which organizes the private circuit, whose 1st division is made up of 32 of the world’s best surfers.
Born in New Caledonia, Marco Mignot was European champion in 2023. He came very close to qualifying for the Olympics in Tahiti this year, but was ultimately beaten by the French Joan Duru and Kauli Vaast, future champion Olympic.
“It was difficult, but I think it just wasn’t my moment. I was very proud of Kauli and Joan and it helped bring out my strength of character towards the end of the season.”estimated the athlete, sponsored for several years by the Quiksilver brand thanks in particular to his strong activity on social networks (244,000 subscribers).
Present on the Challenger Series circuit for two years, he will be the only Frenchman qualified in the elite in 2025, the first since Reunionese Maxime Huscenot in 2023 and only the ninth in history.
Among women, Reunion Islander Johanne Defay, bronze medalist at the Olympics, has already secured her place in 2025 thanks to her 6th place in the CT ranking this year. The Tahitian Vahine Fierro could join her in the event of a big performance in Brazil in the days to come.
