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STEPHEN BELL – EUROGLASS
When Stephen Bell, aka “Belly” arrived in Hossegor at 20 years old, he had no way of knowing what an incredible adventure the surfing industry had in store for him. Originally from Torquay in south-western Australia, he came to France because Harry Hodge asked him to come shape surfboards for Quiksilver. It was the beginning of an amazing experience alongside Kelly Slater that would...
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TOM KAY – FINISTERRE
Tom Kay is a British surfer who is used to the extreme conditions in the North Atlantic waters. Unable to find the appropriate technical clothes for cold water surfing, he eventually decided to design and make them himself. That's how, in a little flat above a surf shop in 2003, the surfwear brand Finisterre was born, with the objective of providing quality products that...
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DEREK O’NEILL – VISSLA
A pioneer of the European surfing industry, Derek O’Neill launched and developed Billabong in Europe for 12 years before taking on the position of International CEO. At 54, he could have closed the door on the industry and spent the rest of his life surfing, but retirement just wasn’t his thing. He returned to Hossegor 3 years ago to develop Vissla, an all new...
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THIERRY KRAWIEC – WATERMANSPORT
His strong accent and large smile leave no doubt about it, he’s a local. Originally from Parempuyre in the Médoc, Thierry’s passion for the ocean and surfing eventually led him to settle in Hossegor. From his years as an elite swimmer, he learned all about willpower and discipline. When as a kid, you grow up swimming in a 25 meter tiled pool with the...
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DUNE PAYOT – YOGA SEARCHER
From the famous Cours Florent acting school to a consulting firm, Dune tried her hand at several fields to find her professional path. In 2014, her father created the brand Yoga Searcher and at the ripe age of 25, Dune wound up in charge of the apparel collection and shops.
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EMILIE SOUVRAS – ROXY
Emilie was a head of collection in mass retail when she quit her job to follow her husband to the Basque coast. Never would she have thought that just a few years later she would be at the head of one of the world’s leading ladies boardsports brands, Roxy.
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PHILIPPE BARRE – DARWIN
An entrepreneur, a visionary and counter-current thinker, Philippe Barre invested his entire fortune in the Darwin ecosystem project in Bordeaux. It is a unique location with 20 000m2 dedicated to eco-creative activities with a business incubator, co-working space, an organic restaurant, an urban farm, a nautical club and much more.
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WILCO PRINS – RIP CURL EUROPE
Passionate about surfing, Wilco left his homeland in the Netherlands at 18 to study in France and get closer to the best surfing spots. A key encounter in college led him to the famous brand Rip Curl, a company he would stick with throughout his career, eventually becoming CEO of Rip Curl Europe in 2013.
