CT member Marco Mignot, now ranked 15th in the world, grew up in Mexico and was always part of the great band of highly talented surfers that emerged from there. He ended up being the first to be part of the CT, but the French flag appears next to his name, and when it comes to competing in the Olympics, he does so and will do so for France.

However, Marco is just another Mexican and he says so himself, his blood is European but his heart is Mexican.

This is why he insists: “I have the Mexican spirit and no one can take that away from me,” as the headline of a long list of reasons that he gives that place him in a place perhaps more Mexican than anything else.

French father, Spanish mother, raised in Mexico, it's hard to deny that the energy and courage that are evident at events, especially under pressure, come from that Mexican spirit.

Below, in an interview, he explains it:

How Mexican do you consider yourself to be?
Well, the truth is, I don't have any Mexican blood, but I have the Mexican spirit, and no one can take that away from me. And the reason I say that is because I grew up my whole life in Mexico, and when I come to Mexico, I feel at home, and for me, well... I lived on the streets of Mexico, on the streets of Sayulita, and that's where I grew up, that's where I learned to surf, that's where I went to school, that's where all my friends are from... How can I say it? I played marbles there... I grew up in Mexico, but I have European blood, so when I represent Mexico, it's from the heart because Mexico has given me so much, I will always represent it because it's a place that has given me so much.

How important was Mexico in helping you become the surfer you are?
As I said: Sayulita, the wave there, is where I learned to surf, and thanks to Sayulita, I'm where I am today. So I can say that Mexico was the country that got me started surfing, so that's why I'll represent it.

Tell your story about where you were born, where you grew up and how you chose to represent France.
I grew up in Mexico. My father is French, my mother is Spanish, and I've been in Mexico my whole life. I'm 24 years old and I've been in Mexico for 20 years.

So, why did I choose France? It's because I'm European, my father is French, and well, I think it's a country that has helped me a lot, not only in getting sponsors but in many other ways. So, yes, I will represent France in the Olympics, and it will be the country I will always represent at the Olympic level.

Because it has also given me a lot.

It has also given me opportunities with sponsors. It's a place where, I can't lie, my blood is from there, but as I say: Mexican spirit and heart from there.

How are you experiencing your first year at the CT?
So much growth in this first year. I'm loving it. I feel at home here. It's a place I've dreamed of my whole life; it was my older brother's dream, my cousin's dream, and being the one who achieved it makes me feel like we all made it in the family.

Because when you fight for something, you do it not only for yourself but for everyone around you, like my family and all the people who fight for their dreams.

What are your expectations for this year? What goals have you set for yourself?
I want to become rookie of the year, but it's not something that I... If I achieve it, great, if not, it doesn't matter.

What I want most is growth, to grow a lot from the experience of a whole year on tour, and through that experience, to be able to grow a lot and one day become a world champion. I'm here to be a world champion; I know it's step by step, stage by stage. I'm here for one thing, and that is to become a world champion.

"I'm here to become a world champion. I know it's step by step, stage by stage."

When you play a game, you're trying to win the game, and that's why I'm on the tour... The game is about winning it. That's the final stage.

Who wins the world title this year?
I think there are a lot of people who deserve it. I think in Fiji with tubes, I'd give it to Jack Robinson, and if it's for maneuvers, I'd give it to either Jack or Italo.