Jérémy Florès was 3 years old when his father, a surfer himself and a rugby player, introduced him to the joys of surfing in Réunion. At the age of 5-6, he follows his parents who decided to settle in Madagascar, his mother’s country of origin. While they take care of the management of a small hotel in the south-west of the country, Jérémy Florès spends his time in the ocean “just in front” of the establishment. His way of life: fishing and surfing.
I wasn’t surfing waves of madness too badly, alone, until I was 10
Jérémy Florès then realizes that he wants to become a surfing champion.. His father, who went through sport-studies, kindly warns him: his family comes from a modest background, so he will have to work hard to get there.
My father told me that I was going to drool!
However, the surfing prodigy already amazed tourists passing through Madagascar when he was only 7-8 years old. His father then sent him to Hossegor in the Landes department, to visit friends, to develop this talent. Result: at 9 years old, under the leadership of Pierre Agnès then responsible for its European subsidiary, Jérémy Florès signed a sponsorship contract with Quiksilver. He remembers :
A rather crazy bet since it had never been done so young, especially in Europe
The self-described “little wild village kid” finds himself traveling the world alongside some of his idols, like multiple world champion Kelly Slater.
The sportsman works hard. He wants to live up to the hopes placed in him and the risks that his “second dad”, Pierre Agnès, incurred “to shut the mouths of all those who criticized” this decision. Through perseverance, Jérémy Flores becomes the youngest surfer of all time to integrate, in 2007, the World Surfing League. He is 18 years old.
I never would have had the life I have today without him
Tragically disappeared at sea in 2018, Pierre Agnès will not have seen his champion win the Pro France in Hossegor October 11, 2019. A competition in which the Reunionese had always encountered difficulties despite the support of the public on his own land. This is the first and only time that a Frenchman has won this event.
I had just been a dad, I approached competition differently. Less prep, more fun
Jérémy Florès wishes to announce the end of his professional career that day. He changes his mind on the advice of his wife. A wise decision since he will be part of the very 1st French surfing team to take part in the Tokyo Summer Olympics in July 2021.
That same year, he decided to hang up permanently to “take a family break” (he became a dad for the second time) and “rediscover the essence of surfing”.
The great victories of Jérémy Florès:
- Twice winner of the Pipe Masters in Hawaii (2010 and 2017)
- Winner of the Pro Tahiti in Teahupo’o (2015)
- Winner of the Pro France in Hossegor in 2019