Rip Curl Challenge La Nord : interview with Mathilde Pernoud, a long-time guest surfer at the contest

The waiting period for the Rip Curl Challenge La Nord has been open since November 1, 2025, and will continue until April 1, 2026. During these five months, the organizers are waiting for the perfect combination of swell and weather conditions to launch the 13th edition of this big wave competition (with waves of at least 3 to 4 meters) at the iconic La Nord break in Hossegor.

The event brings together the best big wave riders from the region: thirty-five surfers from the Landes area, along with eight Basque and overseas surfers, both amateurs and professionals. Competitors are judged primarily on their commitment and the size of the waves they choose to ride.

While waiting for the Rip Curl Challenge La Nord to kick off, we had the chance to ask a few questions to Mathilde Pernoud, one of the few female surfers invited to participate in the Challenge in recent years, and a regular on the Landes coast.

A surf instructor, notably at the Lou Surfou Club in Seignosse, Mathilde discovered surfing relatively late, at the age of 28. From the very beginning, she enjoyed challenging herself on big waves, even before she had the technical level to handle them. By spending winters surfing La Nord in all conditions, she caught the attention of Xavier Duvignau, organizer of the Rip Curl Challenge La Nord, who invited her to the competition. Since then, she has participated six times.

"I learned to surf in the Landes, and that’s the kind of surfing I love most. I enjoy the changing and challenging nature of it; there’s a real satisfaction in finding a good wave in tough conditions. Surfing La Nord is part of me: I love catching lefts, paddling around for 25 minutes to get back out, and then coming out exhausted after a three-hour session in the middle of winter. That’s the surfing I love!"

Hi Mathilde! What do all these successive invitations to the Rip Curl Challenge La Nord mean to you, and how do you relate to the spot?

Mathilde Pernoud – I’ve been very honored to be invited: it meant I was recognized among the “good surfers.” I always participate wholeheartedly; I love the friendly atmosphere of this competition. I’ve always been drawn to La Nord. At first, I was a bit intimidated and started going gradually, using bigger boards to catch the right waves, which took me several years. I wasn’t always well-received; being the only woman in the lineup, unfortunately, it’s not easy to earn respect. But over the years, through perseverance, I’ve made my place there. I’ve often surfed in tough conditions, even less favorable than on Challenge day. That’s why on competition day, I’m not worried: I’ve handled worse, and without assistance!

How do you prepare physically and mentally for waves like these?

Mathilde Pernoud – I train in the pool during winter to work on breath-holding and mental strength. I was coached for years by Thierry Krawiec, and since this year, I train with the Seignosse Coastal Rescue Club. Pool training gives me confidence, physically but especially mentally: I know how to stay underwater calmly. On competition day, the waves are nice, so the main goal is to have fun and make the most of the jet-skis that bring you back to the lineup so you can catch as many waves as possible. I naturally want to show my best surfing, but not being a regular competitor, I always feel a bit of pressure. In those moments, I just tell myself: “Don’t worry, Mathilde, you’ve got this.” My ultimate goal would be to make it to the final one day.

How do you feel about being one of the few women invited? Is it extra pressure, motivation, or just natural?

Mathilde Pernoud – Being a woman shouldn’t even be a topic. I’m glad that at the La Nord Challenge, there are no separate men’s and women’s divisions or rankings. I don’t want to hear “you surf well for a girl” anymore: I just want to be recognized as someone giving their best to catch beautiful big waves.

Can you tell us about the spot and its particularities? What challenged you the most in learning it?

Mathilde Pernoud – Depending on the swell, sandbanks, and tide, La Nord can be super fun and easy to read at three meters... and the next day, the wave can be very hollow, with huge sets that shift and a lot of current. It’s a typically Landes-style spot. That’s why for years I tried to surf it in all conditions, even when it felt overwhelming! The hardest part was daring to take my place and paddle for the right waves, even if some people didn’t like it and even if I couldn’t barrel like them. So the biggest challenge has been having confidence in myself, and surfing La Nord has helped me grow a lot in that regard.