Our French friends at Freaksurf Magazine share their exclusive interview with the Awesome up and coming surfing sista Courtney Conlogue! 

Courtney Conlogue, Santa Ana, California is only in her first year on the female WQS and already ranks first place in the US World Qualifying Series. Her home break is Huntington Beach, training on a DSC program...That reminds me of a certain Brett Simpson (USA) who has just joined the Dream Tour.

Courtney is the combo of beauty, perfect body, and surfing talent. Moreover she is involved with the ommunity, and she is a real artist passioned by drawing and photo shoots. I caught her during the Swatch Pro Girls in France where she won the Pro Junior vs Coco Ho, and was defeated in the main event quarter final by... Steph Gilmore.

Courtney Taylor Conlogue is about to be " THE " big deal of the US delegation.

FSM: What an impressive Swatch Pro Girls, tell me about this week.
Courtney Conlogue: Getting to France for the Swatch Pro event was an adventure!  Our flights were canceled due to the volcanic ash and we ended up choosing to make the drive from Portugal.

I was able to see a lot of Portugal, Spain and France along the way. We don’t have the history back home in North America that I see in Europe.   

That has been fun for me to see. The weather and waves haven’t been the best but either way it’s been good.

I’ve met so many people and saw many new places.

The contest directors and judges were really good at this event. It made for a great competition.

I did 2 photo shoots while in France and enjoyed working with all of them. I’m looking forward to the event next year!

FSM: You've been very patient and confident on your junior final, amazing win in the last minutes!
CC: The conditions were challenging for much of the event.  I knew it would come down to my focus, patients, and physical conditioning.  I was happy with the win.

FSM: Quarter final on the main event, where only Steph stopped you!
CC: It was a good run for me.  Steph has a lot of talent and experience on her side.

I’m enjoying every event and learning a lot this year.  It’s my first year doing the full WQS calendar. This is my first year competing in all the 6 star WQS events.

FSM: A few words on the event site and the Swatch pro organization?
CC: The event was one of the best run events that I’ve competed in.

It was definitely run like a 6 star event and the competitors were well taken care of.  The weather wasn’t good for most of the time so that made it interesting.  

They had great smoothies, coffee and tea, good food for breakfast and lunch, comfortable competitor areas to hang out in, internet with computers, and great staff working the whole event.  Very professional!!  

FSM: Was it important to have Steph Gilmore on the event site during the Pro Junior?
CC: It’s always great to have WCT women at the events if they have the time.  She is definitely a champion and nice to have around.
 Let's talk about you, you seem to have the most athletic body on tour for far, is that important to you and do you make specific training?

I have my cross-training routines that I do to keep it interesting.  I train in a DSC program with great trainers too.

I like being in shape and it definitely helped at this event with the crazy conditions we had in the line-up.  

I like to be prepared for the ocean and being in shape helps a lot.  I have my sights on big wave goals too and I need to be in shape for that.

This interview is far from over! To read more from Freak Surf Magazine and get the rest of the skinny on Courtney Conlogue from her interview with FSM go here!

www.ExplorerGirls.com / Freak Surf Magazine

Interview by Johann Mouchel, Photo Credit : Billabong and Sandrine Le Gal