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Drift's George Mojo caught up with Micky in between surfs at the famed French beachbreak
by George Mojo
12/06/2008:// Frenchman Miky Picon who is on his second year among the ASP Top 45 after requalifying in 2007 through the Association of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series put on solid performances in the South Pacific leg of the ASP World Tour in Tahiti and Fiji.
Picon, who is ranked equal 21st at the moment, posted his best result ever on an ASP World Tour event when he placed 9th in the Billabong Pro Tahiti after defeating 2006 event champion Bobby Martinez in Round 3. Before packing for South Africa's legendary righthander of Jeffrey's Bay where he will surf in the fifth event of the year, 29-year-old Picon is back home and currently training at France's famous South West coast beach breaks. With two 17th, a 33rd and a 9th, Picon has already done better than his 2006 rookie season where he never managed to reach Round 4.
Drift's George Mojo caught up with Micky in between surfs at the famed French beachbreak.
GM: Four events down, seven to go, how do you feel at the moment? MP: I am happy with the year so far and I really aim at requalifying through the Dream Tour and forget about the WQS this year. I started the season with a very bad seeding and had to face big names in first rounds at each event, but with the last couple of results things are changing. This 9th place in Tahiti is my best result ever and this is very positive. My seeding is much better and I will keep working hard for the rest of the year.
GM: How did you like Tahiti and Fiji? MP: The Globe Pro Fiji was so good, I love the place and the waves were really fun. Being in Tahiti was a great time as well. We all stayed at Alain Riou's house (a top European WQS campaigner) and the feeling with Jeremy (Flores), Tiago (Pires) and Aritz (Aranburu) was great. Tahiti is so beautiful, people are very friendly and you can surf very good waves all the time... Makes you want to live there.
GM: What is your plan now? MP: I got sick so had to cancel the Maldives event but I will use all this time I have before South Africa to train, surf, relax and get ready for the next event. I am 100% focused on the ASP World Tour and I need to prepare very seriously.
GM: Do you feel like the training with the other Dream Tour Europeans pays off? MP: I have been training a lot with Jeremy and he gives me a lot of motivation. He's had big results since the beginning of the year and it is so good to be together. The whole group takes positive energy when one of us gets a good result. Tiago and Aritz are getting there now and I believe we will all have a good year.
GM: Will you attend the ASP European WQS leg this summer? MP: I will definitely be there at every main event including the one in Hossegor, where I live. It is very intense to surf in France especially with all crowds and friends watching you and cheering every wave. On top of this, it is a very good training and it keeps you fit and focused on tactics when there is a bit of a gap between two ASP World Tour events like the one for South Africa and California.
GM: What about the ASP Top 45? MP: I see Kelly Slater finishing with another ASP World title. He has been just amazing so far. I think Parko (Joel Parkinson, AUS) is right up there as well and he could get second easily. Off course Andy Irons is always a serious contender at some events like the Rip Curl Pro Search and Pipeline. Mick (Fanning, reigning ASP World Champion) will win one event this year I guarantee, and I guess Dane Reynolds (USA) will get the ASP Rookie of the Year award.
GM: Next event is the Billabong Pro at Jeffrey's Bay, how do you like it there? MP: I am not a fan of that long righthander as I surf backside there and it makes it a bit harder to get through all sections when the swell gets an average direction. But I am so motivated and focused to get another result there that I will go for it very positively.. I am training hard to make sure I am strong enough and fit to surf like Occy (Mark Occhilupo, AUS, 1999 ASP World Champion who is a goofy footer as well).
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