Roxy Jam Biarritz

Women’s Longboard World Championship
It’s the cornerstone of the Roxy Jam Biarritz. The world’s 48 best longboard specialists will come together to compete for a $30,000 prize in the 3rd edition of the WLC Women’s Longboard World Championship. Among them, the top 32 from the 2007 competition to which are added the top two female surfers from the Cardiff/USA 2007, Honolulu/Hawaii 2007 and the Roxy Pro Philipp Island/Australia 2008 competitions as well as a female longboarder from the Noosa Festival in Australia. In addition, the ASP will present a place to each of the territories that do not have a qualifying event of their own: Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Finally, Roxy has 4 wildcards that will come and complete the main event line-up.

Ambitious French women
Claire Karabatsos from Biarritz is no longer the only French woman to show high hopes at the Roxy Jam Biarritz. The quadruple Champion of Europe who finished 3rd in the 2006 event will face the revelation of last year, the young Justine Dupont from Girondes. Crowned Champion of France 2006, Justine was a sensation, making it onto the second step of the podium behind the majestic Jennifer Smith. Watch out for Coline Ménard from the Reunion, who is making great progress and is especially capable on heavy waves, along with the experienced Hélène Chabeaud who is developing at home.

The other favourites
Jennifer Smith (USA), queen of style and foot stepping flew over Roxy Jam 2007 to win her first World Champion title at the age of 20. The Californian has dethroned her fellow countryman Schuyler McFerran, the winner in 2006 and who intends to do it again this year. The start of the season thundered with “Jen” – she swept away the Roxy Surf Festival at Philipp Island in January 2008 – making us believe that her aim is true. Timeless champion and glamour icon of women’s longboard, Kassia Meador is still in the ranks to win the accolade that has escaped her the last two years. Watch out for the Hawaiians Crystal Dzigas and Kelia Moniz. Unless the danger comes from the Japanese Miku Uemura, a rising star of the discipline.

The art of surfing
As a precursor to the mix of art and surfing, Roxy is once more hosting an art exhibition that is all about women, as part of the Festival. This year, the exhibition is being entirely organized by the Spacejunk art gallery, sponsored by Roxy, and consisting of several areas:

“Girls by girls”
This annual exhibition of women artists and themes is an important event to discover the work of talented women artists from around the world. One slogan: femininity and eclecticism. The work presented will explore all styles and supports, from digital painting to photography, video and sculpture. Forty works of art will be unveiled for the occasion in Biarritz. Among the exposed artists: Mathilde Darel who will present her unique photos: the negative is developed using a cyanide based process to give it astonishing blue tones… Marianne, from Grenoble is well known in the graffiti world… Sofia Maldonado, a Puerto Rican living in Brooklyn and a student at Pratt Institute (New York) is a politically committed urban artist who’s into mural paintings and graffiti… Along with this 100% feminine group show, Spacejunk presents new creations by 3 artists that are inspired by board culture:

Carole Bielicki
Carole Bielicki is a well-rounded artist that Roxy has supported for a long time as both a painter and illustrator. Born in Haute Savoie, she studied applied arts in Lyon before settling in Bordeaux. Her self-lacerated acrylic paintings on wood (her favourite support) represent a dreamlike feminine universe often populated with animals.

Caia Koopman
A strong personality and a true artist. The characters in this Californian’s highly elegant images are very inspired by board culture. Behind the apparent lightness of her paintings, Caia treats social themes that are sometimes seriously deep and often with subjective use of details.

Zako
This ex-professional snowboarder of Spanish Basque origin has succeeded in switching over to art. Barely three years after beginning her new form of expression – wire mesh sculpture – Zako is already signed by the most important Spanish art galleries. With an innate sense of volume and line, the one and only Zako sculpts life-size figures (curvaceous playmates, surfers, skaters in action) in iron wire or galvanized screen. For the occasion of the Roxy Jam exhibition, Zako will also unveil her paintings. Spacejunk Exhibition at the Roxy Jam Biarritz 2008: Lieu: Côte des Basques – Roxy Jam ART Tent. Open from X til x Free admission Works, in part, destined to be sold

The Roxy Jam Biarritz sound
To succeed Neneh Cherry, Cibelle, CSS, Pravda and DJ Chloé, Roxy Jam is now concocting a musical programme that is once again tuned to the female musical and politically committed rock scene. In the sublime natural amphitheatre of the Port Vieux beach in Biarritz, talented young artists will come and perform for free next 11 and 12 July. More information very soon. In parallel, starting in April, Roxy will release a new and very eclectic compilation called “Music from your heart”. The CD brings together promising young rock, electro, rap and soul groups. The English band “Bat for Lashes” and the American group “Au revoir Simone” are among the new sensations chosen by Roxy.