Longboard World Champion at the 2009 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games, Antoine Delpero was born far from the waves in Marseille, France on January 11, 1985, but then moved quickly to Biarritz, one of his country surfing capitals where he started surfing as a little kid.

At 24 he’s already an ISA World Champion an ASP World Longboard Tour Runner Up and winner of an ISA copper medal. As he claims on his profile, on sponsor, Oxbow´s webpage, “(Longboarding) it is a real passion; I’ve been on a long board ever since I was born, and I am grateful to Oxbow, which gives me the opportunity to live my passion”. 

Delpero passionate surfing is the perfect demonstration of old and new school longboarding. He can walk fluidly, hang ten and make every modern turn that pro shortboarders does.

He was 19 when he was first invited to be a part of the French National Team. At the 2004 ISA World Surfing Games in Ecuador, Delpero placed fourth and earned the copper medal. In the following editions of the Games Delpero placed 7^th and 6^th.

He reached the top after having an excellent year in the 2008 ASP World Longboard Tour. The circuit had two stages and he reached the final in both of them. It was a tight battle that ended up with the legendary Hawaiian Bonga Perkins, winning by a mere 12 points in the ratings.

Reaching second in the world, Delpero accomplished the best ever result for a French and a European ever on the ASP World Tour. However, as he said later in an interview that year, “Second in the world, second European as well... It is frustrating not to get any title despite trying hard so I cannot say I am satisfied with the year. I am tired of the number 2 and I know that as long as you don’t get the crown, it doesn’t really mean anything. However, looking back on 2008, it’s still a good performance and I will take it and use that experience for next year.”

Even with this historically significant result, the French Longboarder wasn’t happy. He wanted the crown and it finally came.

In the 2009 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games, competing against the very same group of longboarders of the ASP World Longboard Tour, Delpero shined on the waves of Playa Hermosa. He made it to the final through the main events rounds, beating Bonga Perkins on his way to the top of the podium, the gold medal and the World Champion Title.

“I feel unreal…I’m so happy I can’t say a word”, he said after the big final, “I actually can’t understand what’s going on, maybe later in the podium or tomorrow I will realize what this is. I found the good waves at the beginning and managed to surf them well… I am so happy that I just don’t know what’s going on!”

Minutes after the final was over, the man from Marseille was sang an emotional rendition of La Marseillaise, with tears in his eyes. It looked like his big goal was finally reached.