TAGHAZOUT, Morocco (Wednesday, February 26, 2025) - Jorgann Couzinet and Francisca Veselko won the World Surf League Pro Taghazout Bay Qualifying Series (QS) 3,000 today in fun three-to-four foot surf at Anchor Point. Ramzi Boukhiam and Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri finished runners-up respectively.
The day started with the Women's Quarterfinals and Men's and Women's Semifinals. With a break in competition to wait for the incoming tide, the finalists had a chance to rest and recover before giving it their all for the final in front of the local dignitaries, sponsors and fans. Anchor Point turned on for the men's Final and made this Qualifying Series feel more like a stop on the World Tour.
Jorgann Couzinet, Ramzi Boukhiam Wow Crowds with Excellent Final
The Men's Final couldn't have been scripted any better. Two of the most in-form surfers of this event, Championship Tour (CT) surfer and local favourite Ramzi Boukhiam and former Taghazout runner-up Jorgann Couzinet, put on the show that the massive crowd on the beach was asking for, and it was the best heat of the event without a doubt.
Couzinet, who has been on form all event long, took the lead with his strong forehand surfing, while Boukhiam had to do some catching up. Anchor Point turned on and Couzinet and Boukhiam surfed their hearts out, with each excellent score egging each other on to go even bigger. After a flurry of mind-bending waves by both surfers, Couzinet pipped Boukhiam with a heat total of 19.17 (out of a possible 20), getting the edge with a mere 0.17 points.
Boukhiam showed his home crowd why he belongs on the World Tour, with his backhand shaped by this world class point break, scoring a near-perfect 9.83 (out of a possible 10) and 9.17 in the Final. With this confidence-boosting performance, Boukhiam will head to Portugal for the next CT stop.
Couzinet came into this event ranked sixth on the WSL Europe QS rankings, and moved into the top spot with this result, putting him on track to qualify for the Challenger Series.
Francisca Veselko Jumps Up Rankings with Stellar Performance
It was a suspenseful start to the women's Final and after a long wait, Francisca Veselko was the first to strike against Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri. Veselko read the wave really well to execute a strong opening turn, racing down the line to get to work and fit in three more solid maneuvers, throwing buckets of spray into the golden afternoon sun. She was rewarded an 8.17 and it was game on.
Knowing what the judges like to see out there, she took some notes and turned up the volume on her next wave for an 8.67 and an excellent heat total of 16.84 to take the win. She jumps into second place on the rankings in her quest to requalify for the Challenger Series.
Gonzalez Etxabarri put up a valiant effort, but her back was against the wall and she couldn't find the waves with better scoring opportunities. It's still a big result for the surfer from the Basque country, having only competed in two QS events this season and this result has moved her up to seventh.
Veselko improved on her equal third place from 2023 in Taghazout. On her way to the Final, she took out Anat Lelior in the Semifinal, and had a nail-biting battle with Louise Lepront in the Quarterfinals.
The Pro Taghazout Bay QS 3,000 was co-sactioned between WSL Europe and Africa, and athletes from both regions will count this result toward their Challenger Series qualification for 2025. The next and final stop on the WSL Europe Qualifying Series will be the Caparica Surf Fest in Portugal from April 15-19, 2025. WSL Africa have three QS events back-to-back, culminating in the final stop at the Cape Town Surf Pro from March 29-30.
The 2025 Pro Taghazout Bay is scheduled from February 22 - March 1, at Anchor Point, Taghazout Bay / Morocco.
The Pro Taghazout Bay is supported by Taghazout Bay, VisitMorocco.com, CIH Bank, Seat, Afriquia Gaz, Marsa Maroc, Fairmont Taghazout Bay, Rip Curl, Ain Atlas, Arma, Butec, 2M, Radio Mars, Radio 2M.