Europe's next surf star

19-year-old Frenchman Mark Lacomare is tipped for the top

Back in April 19-year-old Frenchman Marc Lacomare clinched victory at the Estoril B surf event in Portugal, the first event on the 2009 European Pro Junior tour. A stellar 9.67 point ride in the semi-finals set Lacomare firmly on course to becoming champion. At the end of July  he finished third in the Vans Pro Junior Grade 1 event in San Sebastian, Basque country. These followed his success in Australia in January when he finished an impressive 3rd at the World Junior Championships.  Naturally, Lacomare is being tipped as Europe's next big surf star – someone to rival the Americans and Australians who have dominated the sport for so long.

Lacomare’s surfing triumphs have bought him to the attention of sponsors. In the wake of his win in Portugal, he signed a deal with Monster Energy – becoming the first European surfer to represent the US energy drink brand. European surfers are slowly beginning to challenge the dominance of the Australians and the Americans on the professional surfing circuit. At the ISA World Games in Costa Rica from the 1st – 8th of August 2009, Lacomare was part of the French team that finished in second place overall. 

Marc Lacomare’s seventh birthday was marked by the gift of his first surfboard and he hasn’t stopped surfing since. Even as a junior, his surfing has taken him around the world. This week he returns to the French Atlantic coast where he first learned his trade, competing, as one of the favourites, in the Lacanau (ASP) Grade-2 Oakley Pro Junior event. Success in Lacanau will re-affirm that this teenage surfer has many more waves yet to ride.