JULIETTE LACOME

A new year, a new focus, on one of France's surfing hopes: Juliette Lacome.

We met Juliette last September, during the premiere of her film REBORN in Bordeaux, and we took the opportunity to ask her a few questions.

Juliette is a surfer and competitor who enjoyed her first victories at a very young age.

She won her first contest, the GROM SEARCH in Hossegor, at just 12 years of age, and followed up her success with a series of excellent results.

Winner of the Roxy Open in 2018 (a QS) and the Pro Junior de Capbreton in 2019, her media coverage in the industry and mainstream media earned her the support of sponsors.

Until, in 2022, a torn ankle ligament completely ended her season and her Olympic dreams.

There followed a very difficult period for her.

However, this experience forged her strong character, enabling her to learn from her mistakes and surround herself with the right people.

Her film REBORN, shot in Iceland, Morocco and France, has helped her get back on her feet and relaunch new projects.

Today, Juliette is 21, still living in her hometown of Biarritz.

And she continues to push back her limits, as she did last December, surfing the Jaws wave for the 1st time alongside Tyler Larronde.

Happy reading and see you soon!

- Hi Juliette,

Do you remember the 1st time you realized that surfing was cool ?

"Honestly, I don't really remember.
All I know is that I was around 8 years old, feeling bored in the summer, and I wanted to go surfing.

I knew what surfing was, but I'd never tried it before.

As Biarritz is very surf, surf, surf, I could experiment with one of my best friends.

Her family came from the surfing world, so it was easier than with mine, who don't."

Photo Hayden Garfield

I wanted to stop everything, and it took me many months to understand, learn and try to overcome that little down phase.

Photo Nate Neal

- As a competitor, how do you manage your mental training ?

I don't have a mental coach, but I should have, because the year before my film REBORN, I had a very difficult time.

I wanted to stop everything, and it took me many months to understand, learn and try to overcome that little down phase.

I certainly should have worked with a professional, but in the end, life taught me a lot.

I accepted things and that's how I forged my own mental preparation."

- What do you love in surf culture ?

"I had idols when I was a young girl who pushed me, inspired me to be what I am today.
Lee Ann Curren and Stephanie Gilmore, for example, because they were Roxy girls and I joined the company when I was 13-14.
Those girls pushed me, inspired me.

I surf because I love surfing.

I like the feelings it gives me, I like the fact that it's a sport where you're out in the ocean and very close to nature.

I think it's different from other sports.
You don't go and lock yourself up in gyms or anywhere else to do it...

and it's really all about having fun."

Photo DR

- How did this special relationship with Coco Ho start ?

"We already had a lot of friends in common.

Being on the tour for almost 11 years, she knew a lot of people.

As I knew Stephanie well, I would see her and bump into her from time to time.

At first we just said hi to each other, but then we really became pals during a QS in China.

We were staying in the same hotel during the competition and there was nothing to do but go surfing.

We started playing cards every day, became friends and kept in touch by continuing to compete together.

After the lockdown, we started traveling together again and today we have a very close relationship.

She's like my big sister, and I've been going to Hawaii every winter since then.

I love her family too, they're an inspiration to me.

When I need advice, I ask Coco, she's a boss in the surfing world."

I've always wanted to do the Olympics, I think it's every athlete's dream.

- What are your top 3 surf movies ?

"I mostly watch a lot of videos.

As I want to do more Surf films than competitive ones, I try to take a bit of inspiration from others.
There's definitely one video that stuck me when I was a kid and I used to watch it all the time, and that's John John Florence's VIEW FROM A BLUE MOON."

"More recently, the very good Quiksilver video, SATURN .
And Quiksilver's latest, REPEATER.

Like SATURN, I've been watching it a lot.

I also love all the Mike February videos and the CHAPTER 11 videos."

- What songs do you listen to before or after your sessions ?

" Before I get in the water, when I go free surfing, I listen to a bit of everything.

It can be rap or even techno sometimes.

Before my series, I make playlists and it can change for each contest.
For example, for the last competition in Anglet, it was Nekfeu, Mac Miller, Foo Fighters, The Game, S-Crew, Drake or A$AP Rocky.
I listen to all kinds of music, but my favorite artist is still Nekfeu, because his music keeps me motivated."

So we went on a trip with friends, to create things and have fun at the same time.
That's when REBORN was born.

Photo Hayden Garfield

- Where are you with QS and the Olympics ?

"I'm not really into it anymore.
I've always wanted to do the Olympics, I think it's every athlete's dream.

But I got injured in the year when I had to qualify for the French team via the QS.

I couldn't qualify for the ISA and because there were only two places, they were given this summer.
For this year it's over, but I'm still hopeful for 2028 in Los Angeles."

Photo Hugo Bigonet

- Why this film REBORN and how did you meet Theo the director ?

"I've known Théo for a long time.

My sister and his brother hung out a lot together in Biarritz.

They've known each other for a long time, grew up together and still have the same group of friends.

I started surfing at a very young age, and Théo did the same for video.

Since we hung out a lot together, we thought it would be cool to work together and travel.

Things got a bit more serious when I started traveling around more and getting sponsors.

So I said "why not take a trip with my mates and work together?
We both took advantage of this opportunity.
The idea of REBORN came last summer, when I broke my ankle and couldn't do the QS.

For a year I didn't have much to do.

I'd missed all the big QS at the beginning of the year, so there was really nothing to do after that, so I decided to make this video.

For the first 4 months after my injury, I didn't want to hear any more about surfing.

Then I pulled myself together and thought it would be nice to go on a surf trip.

At that point I was in burnout.

I'd given so much of myself in competition with the French team, I didn't have the time to live my life, to enjoy myself...

So I got saturated.
After the burnout, I told myself that I actually "loved surfing".

I missed it, but I wasn't ready to start competing again.

So we went on a trip with friends, to create things and have fun at the same time.
That's when REBORN was born."

- Do you take action for the planet ?

"I do little things on a daily basis, but unfortunately our job makes it a bit complicated.

We have to travel a lot, but reality is very sad.
I do little things every day, like carrying a water bottle and never buying bottled water."

Thank you Juliette!

Photo Voyeurloop

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