Surfing: The French Open in Le Moule to kick off the 2026 Ajoe season

Three Ajoe residents will be taking on the waves in Moulins this weekend at the Damencourt spot in Guadeloupe for the 2026 Banque Populaire Surf Tour National Elite Open Shortboard and Bodyboard competition. Anaïs Blanchard, Thomas, and Noé Lédée will be aiming to climb to the top of the podium, but also to earn as many points as possible for their future participation in the 2026 national competitions. The chances of success are very real for the Saint-Barths: European champion and world team gold medalist less than two years ago, Anaïs Blanchard has been in the European top 5 since turning pro. It's a safe bet that she will want to win at Le Moule, where she has regularly been crowned in the past. As for the Lédée brothers, their knowledge of the Damencourt spot, where they have often won awards in the youth category, will be to their credit. Having racked up numerous podium finishes at the French championships, they will be eager to perform well in a stage that could well kick off this new season. David Blanchard, coach of the Reefer Surf Club de l'Ajoe, is aware of the expectations surrounding this first open of the year but reminds us of the context in which it will take place: "It's the first event of the year, so it's a bit like starting from scratch, both in terms of results and in terms of goals for the athletes. The competition will be tough, so we'll have to perform well. We feel that this Open is becoming more and more important in the French surfing calendar, year after year. As for the weather, they're forecasting more wind for the finals on Sunday, which is no bad thing!" The French Shortboard and Bodyboard Open kicks off this Friday at noon at the Damencourt sports center in Le Moule.