Photos: ISA/Evans/Hain - Special coverage brought to you by the International Surfing Association

The International Surfing Association has closed a historic registration process for the 2019 World Longboard Surfing Championship (WLSC) taking place in Biarritz, France, from May 26 to June 2.

In total, 104 surfers from 32 countries will compete in the French surf city, far more than the 71 athletes from 22 countries who were present last year in China.

Athletes from Afghanistan, Belgium and the Netherlands will make their debut at the event, while less traditional countries such as Taipei, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland will also be present.

Eight of those present have already won medals, such as Chloe Calmon (BRA), Phil Rajzman (BRA), Thomas King (RSA), Kai Sallas (USA), Benoit Clemente (PER), and Natsumi Taoka (JPN).

2013 ISA World Longboard Champions France will travel with Antoine Delpero, Justine Dupont, Edouard Delpero and Alice Leimogne.

Meanwhile, defending champions USA, now unified with Hawaii for qualifying for Lima 2019, will be present with Kai Sallas, Soleil Errico, Lindsay Steinriede and Cole Robbins.

The event was a magnet for athletes because it acts as the highest ranking qualifier for the Lima 2019 Pan American Games; a man and a woman from an American country will be among the nine longboarders in the event.

The best athletes will also qualify for the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games, which will take place in San Diego.

“Following the inclusion of the Olympic Games, all disciplines of Surfing have experienced an explosion of growth around the world and Longboarding is no exception,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre about the record number of entries.

“It is fantastic to see another edition of this record-breaking event, especially ahead of the debut of Longboard at the Pan American Games in Lima in July,” he concluded.