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Maud Le Car: the Saint-Martin surfer who went from French titles to big waves

Maud Le Car, born on Saint-Martin, learned to surf at Le Galion, became a several-time French champion and later turned to free-surfing and big waves; she founded the ocean charity Save la Mermaid.

By SXM Daily ·

Maud Le Car is a professional surfer born on Saint-Martin who has won the French championship several times, including a third title at Biarritz in October 2023. After about two decades of competition she turned to free-surfing and big-wave surfing, and she founded the ocean-protection association Save la Mermaid.

Illustrative: the beach at Le Galion, Saint-Martin

Illustrative photo: Thierry Pierrard photographies, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Le Galion to the Landes

She began surfing at 12 on the wave at Le Galion, on Saint-Martin's east coast, and left for mainland France at 15 to join a sports-study programme in the Landes, Le Pélican, France 3 and Surf Session report.

Competition

Surf Session describes her as a several-time French champion, and France 3 reported that her October 2023 win at Biarritz was her third French title and her second in a row. According to Surf Session, she was European champion at 18, and in 2017, on a wildcard into a Championship Tour event, the US Open, she beat Stephanie Gilmore in the second round.

Big waves

Surf Session reported in April 2024 that she was moving to free-surfing and had signed with Oxbow, and Le Pélican says she has turned to big-wave surfing. Icônes Surf has described her tow-in session at Belharra on 27 January 2025, during storm Herminia, and a knee ligament injury that followed.

Save la Mermaid

France 3 reported that she founded Save la Mermaid, based in Seignosse, after a 2021 injury interrupted her bid to qualify for the Olympics. More island athletes are covered in SXM Daily Sports.

Sources

  • https://www.lepelican-journal.com/maud-le-car-la-saint-martinoise-qui-sattaque-aux-monstres-des-mers/
  • https://france3-regions.franceinfo.fr/nouvelle-aquitaine/gironde/championne-de-surf-et-protectrice-des-oceans-la-force-tranquille-de-maud-le-car-2882003.html
  • https://www.surfsession.com/actu/maud-le-car-se-lance-dans-le-free-surf-et-signe-chez-oxbow/
  • https://www.icones-surf.fr/maud-le-car-belharra-tempete-herminia-recit/

Source: https://www.surfsession.com/actu/maud-le-car-se-lance-dans-le-free-surf-et-signe-chez-oxbow/

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