France has just announced their team for next month’s ISA World Champs.

Well known paddlers Eric Terrien and Gaétan Séné will be competing in both races (surf race + long distance), though unfortunately the French won’t have anyone on the women’s side.

Eric Terrien has proven to be the #1 paddler in Europe and recently ranked in our best stand up paddlers of the year list. He scored two Top 10 finishes at the Battle of the Paddle Elite Races last year and ticked off a Molokai crossing in between.

Gaétan Séné isn’t far behind Eric as one of Europe’s fastest SUP racers and had some big results of his own in 2011. That included a 1st place in the stock class of California’s Battle of the Paddle long distance race, the same board class that will be used at the ISA World Champs…

Without competitors on the women’s (or prone paddleboarding) side of the event, the French team probably won’t be in contention for the overall crown, but they’ve still got the talent to produce an upset in the SUP races.

Original story (in French) from GetUp SUP Mag

Related: Teams announced for ISA Stand Up Paddle World Championship