Tristan Guilbaud - QS Surfer

When and where did you start surfing?
I took off on a boogie board for the first time in Tahiti when I was 7yo, a few years later at 10yo my dad shaped me my first surfboard in our garage, that was when I really started surfing at my home break Saint Gilles Croix de Vie in Vendée ( North-West coast of France ).

What is it that you love about surfing?
I love the sensations that you feel when you’re surfing, but also the freedom and this special contact with nature and the ocean which is unpredictable but fascinating at the same time.

What sort of boards are you riding at present?
I’m riding shortboards from my shaper RT surfboards. From 5,10 to 8,0 guns and sometimes longboards in summer.

Do you have a session that stands out as your most memorable?
I had some amazing sessions in Mentawaii and all around the world, but France is a special place, the French beachbreaks are so unpredictable, it takes times and hours of driving to find the good spots and even then the tides and wind must be perfect. But when all the conditions come together you can get these magic waves where you really enjoy every moment and every ride.

Travelling the world on the QS tour, do you have a favourite break or event?
Well, I’ve been on the QS tour since last year so I still have a lot to discover but I really like the Mexican events, Salvador was also amazing.

What is the best thing about surfing on the tour?
Having fun travelling with good friends and discovering new places.

What are some of the difficulties involved with life on the QS?
Well, you're away from your family for the most part of the year, and there’s always some bad surprises at the airport with surfboards but overall life on the QS is cool if know how to be organised.

What’s your training regime like?
First I’m really careful about my diet, and then my daily routine is to surf a lot when there’s waves but then work hard on the bad days and for that I can thank Michel Bourez’s trainer Yannick Beven for taking care of my preparation during the off season.

Do you have any other jobs to help fund your surfing career?
No I don’t, and I’m still looking for new partners to help me in the 2015 season. It’s hard because when you want to be the best you can, you have to put in a lot of effort and to be honest, training & surfing leaves me no time for another job.

What / Who are your major influences in life?
My family for sure but I’m also a real sportsfan so I like to learn from some of the top athletes in a lot of different sports like Kelly Slater, Novak Djokovic, Michael Jordan…

What are your plans for 2015?
My goal for this new season is to reach the Top 100 in the middle of the year to do the Primes in the second half of 2015. I’ll also try to get the French Open title after a 2^nd and 3rd place in the last two years. I will also work on a couple of video clips throughout the year and enjoy a few trips.

Where can we find you online? 

Posted by: Troy Roennfeldt, on January 22, 2015
Categories: Interviews

Tweet