Testing Foreign Waters : Surfer Tom Curren Returns From France for Event This Week

When Tom Curren left Southern California five months ago for the beaches of southern France, he was in search of surf and solitude.

Curren, a two-time world champion, had grown tired of the bustle of crowded beaches, jammed freeways and ocean waves speckled with surfers. So he and his wife, Marie, packed up their surfboards and wet suits last March, left Santa Barbara and bought a home in Biarritz, France.

While most surfers thrive in the fast lane of the free-spirited surfing world, Curren, shy and reserved, trains quietly while taking in the French life style with Marie and their new-born daughter Lee Ann.

“Marie is French, and that’s partly why we’re here,” Curren said in a telephone interview from Biarritz. “But it’s also a better opportunity to train and surf. I had to do a lot of driving in California just to get in the water. Here, I just jump on my bike and I’m surfing in a few minutes.”

He hasn’t surfed on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals world tour and doesn’t plan to rejoin the circuit full time until next year.

But Curren will make at least one stop on the tour this week when he defends his title at the Op Pro Surfing Championships beginning today at the Huntington Beach Pier. He has won the Op Pro an unprecedented three times.

Nearly 200 surfers are expected for the weeklong competition, which features men’s and women’s pro divisions as well as a junior competition for amateurs. Semifinals are set for Saturday morning and finals for Sunday morning.

“This will be the first time I’ve put on a competition jersey since the Billabong (championships) last December,” Curren said. “This is very exciting for me. I’m looking forward to it.”

Curren will have a hometown advantage in a field that includes ASP points leader Martin Potter of England, defending world champion Barton Lynch of Australia and 1987 world champion Damien Hardman of Australia.

“As far as competing, I can’t tell where I would be,” Curren said. “But my surfing is up to par. This is definitely going to be a jump back into competition.”

Surfing insiders say Curren may have lost a competitive edge after leaving the tour. But Curren says he has been doing more than sipping black coffee and nibbling on croissants and cheese since moving to France.

“I’ve had a lot of time to do some training,” he said. “The surfing has been OK. There haven’t been great waves, but there’s a variety of waves. I’ve been trying out a lot of new boards and staying sharp.”