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In 2024, Tessa Thyssen ended her season ranked thirteenth in the world in the Challenger Series. A ranking which makes the champion from Saint-Barthélemy the best female surfer in the Caribbean. No more, no less. Nevertheless, even if this is her best career result at the end of a full season, Tessa intends to do everything in her power to climb even higher in 2025. In fact, the international has been hammering away at this since last season: she has just one goal in mind. "I want to qualify for the Championship Tour," she says with a determined smile. The Women's CT is open to the world's top seventeen female surfers. It is made up of the ten best female surfers from the previous season's CT and the six best female surfers from the previous season's Challenger Series. A wild card is awarded at each competition. This means a closed field of 18 competitors at each stage of the circuit. Long on the verge of the "top ten" in the Challenger Series in 2024 (the world's second professional division, comprising 64 surfers), Tessa came very close to securing her ticket to the big leagues. Only a handful of poor performances denied her this just reward. "It makes me even more determined to surpass myself this season," she assures us. All the more so as her results on the circuit will have an impact on her other major objective. Yes, Tessa Thyssen has other ambitions.
Looking for sponsors
In this case, to take part in the 2028 Olympic Games. After missing out on selection in 2024, she intends to fight hard to get a taste of Olympic exhilaration. By joining the Championship Tour, she would be virtually guaranteed a place on the French team. But the challenge is huge.
For the time being, after a few weeks spent in Saint-Barth, Tessa Thyssen has headed for Puerto Rico for a three-week training camp. This season, the champion will contest the five main stages of the challenger Series: in Australia, South Africa, California, Portugal and Brazil. However, in order to make all these trips possible, Tessa Thyssen needs financial support.
Ideally, I'd like to find sponsors to follow me all the way to the 2028 Olympics," explains the international surfer. But it's difficult to look for support, to be a sportswoman and an agent at the same time, and so on. From the outside, you don't realize how difficult it is. "Not least because every expense an athlete incurs is her own responsibility. From travel to board maintenance. As a result, the Caribbean's top surfer wouldn't mind the appearance of a few patrons and other local partners to accompany her to international competitions and, in so doing, help her realize her dreams of victory.
