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Tom Curren (pictured) enjoying some no. 1 surf destination in the world.
Tom Curren (pictured) enjoying some no. 1 surf destination in the world.

Weeping in Hawaii as unexpected interloper nabs coveted “no. 1 surf destination in the world” title

"Nobody saw it coming..."

There is a glum pall in Hawaii today. Huntington Beach too and also Australia’s Gold Coast, its west coast, as well, plus Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand, Indonesia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Fiji, Tahiti and Lemoore. The respected travel insurance experts at confused.com, you see, has just dropped its much-anticipated list of “best surf spots in the world” based on “wave quality and surfer satisfaction via data from Surf-Forecast, and overall search interest via Google search data.”

After a lengthy drum roll, and crunching of numbers, Hossegor, located along the southwest coast of France, was pronounced number one.

Not San Clemente and its Lower Trestles.

Nor Bondi and its beach.

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Per Travel + Leisure:

“Hossegor ranks as the best destination for surfing in the world, with an overall score of 8.16/10. Hossegor offers reliable, excellent conditions for surfing and is known for its hollow and fast-breaking waves favored by experienced surfers. It has an average surfer rating of 4.25, and 48 percent of the recorded waves are clean and surfable.” The team also noted in the results that the best time to visit is during the region’s fall shoulder season in October when flights and hotels are at their cheapest.

Who saw this coming?

Not those who sold the everything in order to live in a small camper van Byron Bay adjacent.

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Nor those who call Sayulita home.

Mavericks, near San Francisco, was somehow no. 2 followed by Tofino in Canada.

Travel + Leisure must have felt some doubt as to the validity of 1) Hossegor 2) Mavs 3) Tofino so called “our friends at The Inertia” to fully demean itself. Zach Weisberg and crew provided 1) Waikiki 2) Nosara, Costa Rica 3) Cocoa Beach, Florida.

What complete nerds.

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Like, all the way embarrassing.

Do better, The Inertia.

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38 Comments
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Durban Poison

Hahahahossegor. If you like icy closeouts with incessant currents as your staple.

Low wide stinkbug stance

Geez derek you could have used the famous maurice cole bottom turn pic.

Cuntry Singer
pipspuss

I thought DR split time in Hossegor? Am I mistaken?

Capt Sensible

I must protest surely Exmouth is the no 1 surf destination in the world you get a variety of waves and accomadation options, you get whale sharks , whales , manta rays great fishing , amazing climate , wide open spaces , a groovey little town and services a hospital and security plus the locals welcome people from all over the world with open arms peace and love everyone take it from me head to Exmouth while you still can because it’s about to be the Byron of the North West.

Kook Dahanamoku

You trying to offload a beachfront three-bedder by any chance?

Capt Sensible

Nah trying encourge everyone and their dog to go there and leave me I peace.

Ramathorn

Red dirt doesn’t go well with all the white linen.

Dogsnuts

I love everything about the place.
Except the death shories exiting on dark.
Xox

Kama'aina

Everyone knows Mavs is on the top of the list for best surf destinations in the world.

*for 1% of surfers and 100% of tech bros

Ricky Spanish

Chas knows the real answer is Cardiff

k55

The Inertia—or the Inerdtia?
I like the latter.
Bunch of surf-nerds.
The biggest bunch of surf-sell-outs ever.
From Zac, to Haro, to Cranberry, and da rest of da staff, pathetic bunch, it seems only interested in the bottom-line.

tim_nelsen

ELO chose Manhattan Beach Pier as his place to run into, not knowing that Greg Noll and Dale Velzy set up shop there in the 60s. When he fell outta love for surfing* he ran away straight back to OK. MB was already on the map as the first place man rode waves of foam, on foam. Thank Jeebus he didn’t give away El Porto, the place where South Bay surfers were exiled when they got kicked off The Islands and surfed with the big wave guns purchased at Lightnin’ Bolt shops. The crew in the lil parking lot has more stories about the best waves in the world; I’ve heard them brag about the good ‘ol days…Topanga, County Line, 1st point ‘Bu, The Queen, C street. “Yeah bros, my Bolt works well everywhere…and I’ve been everywhere!” (with 100 percent confidence)

*did he even surf?

k55

People say the surf there was better back in the 60s —till it turned into the Eternal-close-out it is today.

tim_nelsen

https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx…. (reuben mendoza)

SaltyHB

FWIW Velzy and Noll started back in the ’50s.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

tim_nelsen

balsa > foam…

No Feelings

Tofino is surely Canada’s most popular surf destination.

Sellme fitzgobbins

Does it mention what right fuckwits the locals are too? 10/10 points

Jim Betts

Who has the worst locals in the world?

Sellme fitzgobbins

Israel?

Capt Sensible

Be good if the cunts would stay there though.

Low wide stinkbug stance

Fuck beat me to it.

Capt Sensible

Triggs

Mapski

The Seychelles.

Dogsnuts

13th Beach has a heap of cunts that hassle and can’t surf for shit.
Xox

Pauly Matt War-Shore

Which section do you think has the highest ratio of cunts that hassle/can’t surf for shit?

deeks

Gotta be semanyak

Dogsnuts

Probably Boings. There is some older fuck who hassles like a deadset fuckwit, burns groms and chicks. Really weird guy.
Xox

7dollarsurfboard

Mauritius

deeks

Bird Rock in the 90s

Dogsnuts

I find them lovely!
Xox

SaltyHB

The French are famous for there welcoming nature.

deeks

Especially if you’re aus. The distance travelled makes em think we care… little do they know..it’s all about the waves and perfect titties

Rocks local

Hossegor’s not a bad choice, and who knows which intern VAL answered the phone at the Inertia — but if those are the criteria: in Waco, 100% of the waves are clean and surfable, flights and hotels are pretty much always cheap, there is zero crowd factor, and the local staff is so nice you’ll want to put them on your xmas card list after you leave.

Rich Marx

Hossegor is amazing but probably not VAL friendly. Only place I’ve slammed the bottom twice on one wave and it was barely head high.

Dogsnuts

I nearly drowned duck diving a one footer! No shit!
Xox

Sean Connery

“It has an average surfer rating of 4.25, and 48 percent of the recorded waves are clean and surfable.” Where does AI come up with this shit?


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