We use cookies to improve your experience on our websites and for advertising. Privacy Policy

Events
News
Watch
Riders
Spots
More »

- Brands
- Travel & Local
- Good Guys
- Filmmakers
- Bosses
- Shops
- Media
- Movies
- Apps
- Photographers
- Tips & Tricks

Scroll

> News > Ian Crane Triumphant at Red Bull Airborne France 2019

surfing News

Ian Crane Triumphant at Red Bull Airborne France 2019

Ian Crane (USA) has won the Red Bull Airborne France, an aerial WSL specialty event, at Seignosse/Hossegor/Capbreton, Landes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, Saturday, October 5, 2019. Image credit: / WSL/Poullenot

05 October 2019

Ian Crane (USA) has won the Red Bull Airborne France, an aerial specialty event featuring 18 of the most innovative surfers in the air, both on and off the Championship Tour (CT). Capacity crowds estimated at 25,000 people flocked the beach in Hossegor to watch the best aerialists in the world take on scary shorebreak ramps all afternoon.

The Final featured Ian Crane (USA), Nomme Mignot (FRA), Griffin Colapinto (USA), Maxime Huscenot (FRA), Finn McGill (HAW) and Reef Heazlewood (AUS) in a 45-minute showdown where only the highest score of each surfer counted.

California’s Crane posted the Final’s biggest score in the opening 5 minutes with a stratospheric straight air on his forehand, beautifully grabbed and landed absolutely perfectly to take a firm grip on the heat. Mignot, Colapinto and Huscenot all posted scores with landed maneuvers but no one really challenged Crane for the lead. McGill maybe had the closest calls with really progressive moves but he couldn’t stay on his feet and unfortunately was left scoreless.

Heazlewood replicated Crane’s air but on a smaller section and couldn’t take flight quite high enough, but the air was enough to push him up to 3rd as the clock approached the last 5 minutes. As time ran out the situation remained unchanged and Ian Crane walked away with the win. The American becomes the first non-CT surfer to claim a Red Bull Airborne victory.

“This is awesome,” said Crane. “I just got chaired up the beach in France, this is just out of control. It’s definitely one of the best surfing moments of my life. It’s my first time down here in Hossegor, and yes, I love it. It was really hard to land airs, but that one was pretty cool. I almost made a huge one that I really wanted to land.”

French QS campaigner Nomme Mignot (FRA), who picked up a wildcard slot when he won the Red Bull Airborne Qualifier in Anglet earlier this summer with a near-perfect 9.93, brought his A-game to fight with the best in the game, and landed in second place.

Earlier in the qualifying rounds, the biggest standout was perhaps Matt Meola (HAW) who threw caution to the wind and attempted massive airs to light up the beach. He unfortunately couldn’t land any of his maneuvers and as the format of the Red Bull Airborne goes, kept a blank scoreboard all the way through his two heats.

Red Bull Airborne France Final Results:

1 - Ian Crane (USA) 5.83

2 - Nomme Mignot (FRA) 4.50

3 - Reef Heazlewood (AUS) 3.93

4 - Griffin Colapinto (USA) 3.77

5 - Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 3.73

6 - Finn McGill (HAW)

Red Bull Airborne France Qualifying Round 1 Results:

HEAT 1: Albee Layer (HAW) 9.00 DEF. Eithan Osborne (USA) 5.20, Kalani David (HAW) 3.00, Julian Wilson (AUS) , Reef Heazlewood (AUS) , Matt Meola (HAW)

HEAT 2: Ian Crane (USA) 10.66 DEF. Nomme Mignot (FRA) 5.07, Noa Deane (AUS) , Kevin Schulz (USA) , Griffin Colapinto (USA) , Jacob Szekely (USA)

HEAT 3: Finn McGill (HAW) 16.53 DEF. Cam Richards (USA) 8.80, Eric Geiselman (USA) 6.34, Jack Freestone (AUS) 5.20, Chippa Wilson (AUS) , Maxime Huscenot (FRA)

Red Bull Airborne France Qualifying Round 2 Results:

HEAT 1: Ian Crane (USA) 6.34 DEF. Eric Geiselman (USA) 6.24, Albee Layer (HAW) 4.34, Leon Glatzer (DEU) 2.80, Noa Deane (AUS), Matt Meola (HAW)

HEAT 2: Reef Heazlewood (AUS) 12.46 DEF. Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 11.34, Julian Wilson (AUS) 11.07, Kevin Schulz (USA), Finn McGill (HAW), Jacob Szekely (USA)

HEAT 3: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 12.86 DEF. Nomme Mignot (FRA) 9.54, Cam Richards (USA) 4.20, Chippa Wilson (AUS), Eithan Osborne (USA), Leif Engstrom (USA)

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com

About the WSL

The World Surf League (WSL), established in 1976, is the enablement platform for surfing and surfers worldwide. The WSL is dedicated to changing the world through the inspirational power of surfing by creating authentic events, experiences, and storytelling to inspire a growing, global community to live with purpose, originality, and stoke.

The WSL is a global organization, headquartered in Santa Monica and with regional offices in North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA. The WSL possesses a deep appreciation for the sport's rich heritage while promoting progression, innovation, and performance at the highest levels.

The WSL is comprised of Tours & Events, celebrating the world’s best surfers across all disciplines and annually running more than 180 global contests and crowning the undisputed World Champions across all divisions; WSL WaveCo, where innovation meets experience; and WSL Studios, which offers best in class storytelling across competition, lifestyle, and conservation.

To find out more about WSL, please head this way.