Boris Romann

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Curious surfer, happy surfer

with Boris Romann

« I joined my brother in Australia. I didn't speak English, it wasn't easy, but it was the best place to surf. »

On Boris Romann's wishlist, in no particular order, there are retro boards, twin fins, right-hand waves and potatoes. As a teenager, Boris sent pucks flying at the ice rink with his ice hockey buddies. At the age of 14, he joined the Anglet Surf Club where, for years, he did a lot of sanding. “My brother worked as a cook in Australia. I followed his lead and went to the tourism school in Capbreton where I joined the surf section. I could have gone to Biarritz, but I would have had to wear a suit and I wasn't made for a bow tie. With his BNSSA in hand, he worked as a lifeguard on Angloy's beaches. In 2009, he obtained his Professional Surfing Certificate, his pass to the world. “I worked at the UCPA (Outdoor Vacation Center) in Soustons for 7 months of the year and then went abroad in the winter. My goal was to be able to work and surf while traveling. Indonesia was his first solo trip, then Mexico and finally Australia in 2015. “The best trip of my life. I met up with my brother who lived in Manly. I bussed glasses and plates in the bar-restaurant where he worked. I didn't speak English, it wasn't easy, but it was the best place to surf. Hence his time on the Gold Coast working on a potato farm. Despite the repetitive tasks, it was easy to stay motivated when you know the ocean is 15 km away. “We dug up the potatoes and sorted them. It was really physically demanding, but I worked 3 days a week, and the rest of the time, I would go surfing at Snapper Rock. After a year and a half, I missed France. And in the end, funny enough, I was surfing in better conditions here than in Australia."

“Adversity at the end of the world is what you remember the most."

Boris Romann's life is a succession of decisions taken with the spontaneity of people who fear nothing. The diversity of his quiver of surfboards reflects his curiosity in every way. “At first, I rode mostly shortboards, but with the lessons, I surfed on foam boards quite a bit. More inertia, easier, more enjoyment. You're in a different state of mind, you're there to have fun. Boris then found himself a second-hand twin fin, a good compromise between the foam board and the shortboard. “It allows you to perform and be cool. Then, I bought myself a single for the same reason. Geoff, from Fernand Surfboards, shaped my first twin fin. Since then, he has shaped a good 20 for me. It opened my mind and taught me to be more critical.“ Beyond his appetite for new discoveries, the Landes native by adoption, adapts to everything. "Especially on a trip," he added. This is what saved him during a journey to Panama and Nicaragua with Théa, his companion and now adventure partner. “A somewhat difficult one, we even got some of our stuff stolen. But I tell myself that adversity at the end of the world is what you remember the most."

As if one were dropping pins in a map of the world, there was also Portugal on the way down to Morocco with the twin in the car. Stopping to see his friends Justine Dupont and Fred David in Nazaré, Boris cannot resist the temptation of a session on the mythical big wave spot usually better watched on tv. That day, the swell was clean enough to get there by paddling. “They loaned me a lifejacket and a fairly thin 8-footer. For me, it was already a huge gun, but it was reassuring to have them nearby. The fear and excitement gave me a knot in my stomach, but as is often the case, I put blinders on.” Anesthetized by the adrenaline rush of great moments, Boris paddled into a 4-meter swell and quickly found himself alone offshore.“ At the time, it was intense. I told myself, either wait 1,000 years and put pressure on yourself, or go for it. I went. I had to stay in the water for 2 hours and 30 minutes, but I rode 3 waves and was happy. As a side note, when I was at the UCPA and there was a red flag, we took out the foam boards and hit the water. That day in Nazaré, it was a bit like Soustons! (Laughs)."

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Aged 30, Boris Romann now lives in Hossegor and works as a surf instructor at All Good. And you have to admit that after having experienced his kindness firsthand, the surf school is aptly named. “My goal is to organize trips with good waves, tasty food and a great vibe. People ready to move at any time, that's happiness!” With hindsight, Boris followed his older brother's lead and accomplished his teenage goal. And if nothing else, just achieving his wishlist is good enough.

Text : Elisa Routa

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