Womens WSL Fantasy Surfer Picks for France

Oui, oui, oui in your wetsuit, the Roxy Pro France is just about here in all it’s tube threading, lip smacking, pony-tail whipping glory. The forecast is looking pretty epic too, if tempered with France’s typical unpredictability. As with the men’s side of the event (link) you should be looking for surfers at home in all sorts of conditions. Heaving barrels, fun lefts or rights, basically anything the ocean can and will throw at you. With the women’s world title race hotter than a snail on a bbq right now, things are bound to be extra exciting. Here are your Womens WSL Fantasy Surfer Picks for France 2019.

Tier A for the Womens WSL Fantasy Surfer is a no brainer for the Roxy Pro France this year. Carissa Moore in the last five years has finished 3rd, 1st, 1st, 3rd, 3rd. At semi-finals or better, that makes it Riss’s best event on tour consistency wise. With the world title in grabbing distance, this has to be the time to have her front and centre. Compare that against one 2nd in 2017 for Lakey and just two quarters for Sally in that same five years, and you have what’s scientifically called a fucking lock. The only way you’re picking anyone other than Carissa here is if you’ve bet with a friend that the loser has to eat a Big Mac meal as punishment and you’re secretly craving two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. Sorry, Ronald, I prefer the taste of victory.

In Short
In – Carissa
Back up – Carissa
Leave – Anyone who isn’t Carissa

Outside the dominance of Carissa there is one other woman in the draw with the history to take down the almost world champ – Corn Chips Conlogue (aka CC’s). She won last year, hit semis in 2016 and came 2nd in 2014. The only other person with that record in France is Tyler Wright and unfortunately she is still sidelined. Get Chips in your team faster than a barrel shaped tortilla gets smashed in your gob.

After Courtney, there’s a host of maybes. Steph seems a likely choice, but her history in France is more erratic than a Basque beach break. Tatiana has done well before, but not in recent years. Johanne Defay is in good form, but aside from flashes of brilliance here, hasn’t had what it takes to meet a podium finish. Even Bronte Macaulay has done well here previously, but it’s hard to back her with any certainty.

Easy leaves include Brisa Hennessy who has no history at this break, Caroline Marks who had her worst result in 2018 here, and Malia Manuel who has done okay before but nothing to write home about. Even Nikki Van Dyke is just a maybe, with some reasonable results but nothing too dynamic.

For me, I’m going an outside pick and going with Bronte. Semis last year was a great result for her and she’ll be working hard to replicate that if she wants to stay on tour in 2020. That isn’t a convincing choice, but, it’s a choice.

In Short
In – Chips and Bronte
Back up – Tati and Steph
Leave – Brisa

There’s only one word that adequately describes Macy Callaghan’s performances this year – merde. Say that with a French accent and it sounds even shittier. She’s sitting firmly last of all the surfers who have competed in every event this year and is behind some surfers who haven’t. And yet. And yet. France last year saw Macy’s welcome to the world stage. As a wildcard she trounced the competition to finish second. That is crazy! If she’s going to show the world she belongs on this tour, here is the place to do it. Surfing is a confidence game, so hopefully Callaghan is seeing a boost to hers toot suite.

Outside of Macy, other solid options include Coco Ho or Silvana Lima who are both amazing when the swell starts thumping. If it’s looking like conditions are barreling, they’re solid bets even against options in the middle tier. If you’ve been burned by Macy this year and simply can’t bring yourself up for more pain, then pick either of these girls for a safer points grab.

In terms of who to leave out, I’d be thinking the Tahitian/French wildcard Vahine Fierro. Yes, she rips. Yes, she has a cool-as-fuck sounding name. I just think she’ll be outclassed by better competition, and, considering she’s drawing Carissa in rnd 1, will be up against it from the first siren.

In short
Yes – Macy
Maybe – Coco or Lima
No  – Fierro

And that’s our guide to picking your Womens WSL Fantasy Surfer team. With that, lock ‘em in and fantasise about being showered in winner’s champagne come finals time.

For those who are driving, walking or just don’t care to read, the below Tahiti Preview from Lipped will be of interest. Can’t say it’ll get you a win, but it’ll get you some laughs and some insights amongst it all. Join their Fantasy Surfer League too, it’s got prizes from Dragon and some good banter – join here (pw is lipped)