Since November 6, 239 surfers from 53 nations have gathered in Punta Rocas, just south of Lima, for the ISA World Surfing Games. Among them are several Olympic medalists, including Tahitian Kauli Vaast, crowned at Teahupo’o in 2024, and Johanne Defay, bronze medalist at those same Games.
After five days of competition, five French riders have secured their place in the fourth round of the main draw: Marco Mignot, Kauli Vaast, Aelan Vaast, Johanne Defay and Naia Monte. They will still have to navigate several rounds before hoping to reach the finals, scheduled for Sunday, November 15.
Kauli and Aelan Vaast Still in the Running
Defending Olympic champion, Kauli Vaast secured his qualification by finishing second in his heat. His sister Aelan also earned her spot by winning hers, beating notably the eight-time world champion Australian Stephanie Gilmore.
At just 15 years old, Naia Monte stood out, taking her third heat in succession. Johanne Defay and Marco Mignot also secured qualification.
Only Jorgann Couzinet exited the main draw, not due to elimination. He will have to go through the repechages to continue the competition. At the ISA World Championships, a surfer must suffer two losses before being definitively eliminated.
Two Olympic Quotas at Stake
These World Championships carry particular importance as they also provide qualification spots for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Two quotas are up for grabs in Peru: one for men and one for women. They will be awarded to the nations finishing atop the team rankings in each category. These slots are not nominative: they go to the countries, not directly to the surfers who earned them.
Olympic regulations generally foresee a maximum of two surfers qualifying individually per country and per category. But thanks to these collective quotas, a nation can exceptionally field a third representative in either the men’s or the women’s division.
The finals are scheduled for Sunday, November 15, at Punta Rocas.
More information on the French Surfing Federation website
