It's the hit of the year. A melodious, heady refrain that makes you want to hum it in all seasons. Johanne Defay, one of the best surfers on the planet, victorious on mythical spots whose mere mention puts stars and foam in the eyes, joins the Baouw family. Fourth in the world on the professional circuit last year, the native of Reunion is bringing a wave of sunshine, freshness and performance to the Baouwers team, thanks to her infectious energy, rare talent and experience at the highest level.
Surfing in an ocean of serenity and determination, Johanne Defay won us over with her vision of a discipline she practices not simply as a sport, but as a healthy, hedonistic and responsible way of life, close to the elements. The woman who prefers swell baths to crowds is the fourth athlete to take part in our Casting de Rêve. Meet the woman who eats life like she surfs: with a greed that's only equalled by her passion.
Johanne, what's it like to be this little troublemaker from the ocean who joins a tribe of mountain people?
I see it more as an opportunity! On the contrary, it's an opportunity to open up to new encounters and other worlds. What's more, there are many points in common that bring us closer together: nature is our terrain of expression, we share the same values, and personally, I love hiking in the mountains.
How long have you known Baouw? Do you remember the first time you tasted one of our bars?
Avant de rejoindre la Team des Baouwers, j'ai d'abord été cliente ! En effet, mon conjoint, qui est également mon coach, m'a fait découvrir la marque à l'occasion d'une randonnée sur les hauteurs du lac d'Annecy, où nous revenons régulièrement puisqu'il s'agit de sa terre natale . Nous grimpions un grand classique de la région : la Tournette. Un peu avant d'arriver au sommet, j'ai senti qu'il fallait que je fasse une petite pause car l'hypoglycémie guettait. Simon m'a alors tendu 2 barres, j'ai adoré. Elles étaient légères et hyper digestes. J'ai eu la sensation de me faire du bien… Je me suis sentie revigorée, sans pour autant qu'elles me restent sur l'estomac, comme cela pouvait être le cas avec celles que je consomme avant, très sucrées. « Avant de rejoindre la Team des Baouwers, j'ai d'abord été cliente ! »
Baouw of Johanne
What values do you share with the brand?
First of all, I'm very happy to be joining a French partner that has a real local presence. Secondly, I totally identify with the message of health through sport. My well-being depends on being in motion and eating a healthy diet. Even before talking about performance, I thrive on this healthy lifestyle, which involves taking care of my body and nature.
“Before I even think about performance, I thrive on this healthy lifestyle, which involves taking care of my body and nature.”
How would you define your relationship with nature?
I'd use the word 'daily'. Because I'm lucky enough to have turned my passion into my job. Growing up on Reunion Island, I didn't have to deal with the constraints of winter: I'm in the water all year round, and I'm close to nature every day! The other word for it would be “vital”. Because this daily relationship with nature is absolutely fundamental to my equilibrium. It gives me a deep sense of well-being.
As a surfer, what's your relationship with the mountains? What's the difference between reaching a summit and surfing a wave?
I get a lot of pleasure out of other outdoor activities besides surfing, but nothing gives me as many sensations as a session in the ocean. This is certainly due to the meditative dimension of surfing. When I get out of the water, I'm calm and collected. I feel a deep serenity, a real sense of zenitude, as if the ocean had washed away all my worries. After a walk in the mountains, I feel rather drained. I feel good about the effort I've made in this extremely peaceful setting, but I've got no energy left! As the mountains are not my natural environment, they drain my batteries more quickly.
“When I get out of the water, I'm calm and at peace. I feel a deep serenity, as if the ocean has washed away all my worries.”
As you can imagine, being from the mountains, surfing is a world we've yet to discover. Could you give us an irrepressible desire to practice in a few sentences? Can you describe how you feel in the water?
Beyond the inner well-being that comes from each session, there's the thrill you get from the moment you slide. It's a sensation that's very similar to snow sports, except that each wave is unique. With each wave, you can innovate, experiment, create... Also, each spot has its own personality and each board its own specificities. Finally, conditions are extremely changeable. Between the wind, the house, the weather... There are a lot of elements that you can't control and that you have to manage. This brings out an ability that I love: adaptation. That's the quality that makes good surfers. (A pause for reflection) Finally, it would be a lie if we didn't seek out a bit of adrenalin: when you've got mountains of water coming at you, you feel alive!
"Surfing shines a skill I love: adaptation. Therein lies the quality that makes good surfers."
What role does nutrition play in your career and, more generally, in your life? How do you manage it on a daily basis?
For me, everything is linked! My relationship with food reflects my personality and temperament. Strict, restrictive guidelines would not suit my character. Surfing is all about constant adaptation. So I work very much by feel and instinct. In fact, the first time I worked with a mental coach, he said to me: “You're a bit freestyle! He was absolutely right! (Smiles) And that's how I manage my diet. I don't use scales and I don't control my weight too much, just my shape! “My relationship with food reflects my personality and corresponds to my temperament.
And how does this translate into your day-to-day “food model”?
The main pillars are: eating fresh produce, cooking at home and ensuring a healthy, varied and balanced diet. I'm not on a diet. I eat everything and love to diversify. Food also has a very symbolic dimension for me. Having travelled a lot since I was very young for competitions, discovering what the locals eat is a great way to get a change of scenery and immerse yourself in the culture. It's also a great way of sharing. I remember my parents working behind the stove for the whole family, the smells wafting out of the kitchen and tickling our taste buds...
Top-level surfing is certainly one of the sports with the most unusual competition format. Can you briefly explain this to us and describe how you manage your diet during these events, which sometimes last several days?
Surfing is certainly the most unpredictable of sports. That's why each round of the professional circuit takes place over a dozen days: to give ourselves the best possible chance of encountering a window where the planets align, with good wave conditions and decent weather . So, every morning, the organizers and judges “call” the surfers on the spot and inform us whether or not today is the day we'll be competing... To put it simply, I have to be ready to surf at any time. As a result, when the heats fall on a complex schedule, too close or too far from a meal, I always compensate with a small bar or compote to make sure I have maximum energy for my heat, without it sticking to my stomach!
“When the series falls on a complex schedule, I always compensate with a small bar or compote to make sure I have maximum energy for my round, without it sticking to my stomach!”
Both surfing and skateboarding are disciplines, indeed cultures in their own right, which may be regarded in the collective imagination as leisure activities rather than real sports. It's hard to imagine all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into surfing at the highest level...
Surfing is incomparable with certain endurance sports, where repetition of intense effort and even physical suffering seem to pave the way to success. On the other hand, like a runner or cyclist, a surfer trains daily and spends hours and hours in the water to gain experience, master his equipment, learn to read the ocean and be in rhythm with it... I believe that this incompressible volume of time rehearsing is the hallmark of sporting techniques. The high-level aspect is also reflected in the day-to-day life we lead. I'm away from home 8 months out of 12. For some people, a life of travel is a dream. But when you've been wandering around the world for 10 years, the incessant wandering can become a burden.
How do you train when you're surfing on the world's best circuit?
First and foremost, you have to go surfing every day. As I said, it's a technical sport that requires a lot of experience. The sensation of gliding and contact with the water must be maintained on a daily basis. Then there's a lot of weight training and proprioception. Endurance, developed through running, cycling and swimming, is another pillar of our performance. Finally, I appreciate yoga for the qualities of flexibility and discipline it cultivates. (pause for reflection) All in all, a typical day will consist of a surfing session, a weight training session or an endurance outing and yoga. “All in all, a typical day will consist of a surf session, a weight training session, an endurance outing and yoga.
Since surfing is a private sport, you also have to manage your career like a small business. In 2015, you even created a crowdfunding campaign to help you make ends meet. Can you tell us about this episode, which we interpret as real proof of your determination?
In my first year on the professional circuit, I finished 8th overall. It was a historic performance, since it was the first time a Frenchwoman had ever achieved it. I'd been racing without a main sponsor for two years, but I mistakenly thought that with this top 10 finish, a major brand would come knocking and help me finance my project. It's worth noting that a season on the World Tour costs around 80,000 euros, just to break even... I felt a certain sense of injustice and felt justified in claiming that it wasn't right for this to happen in France. So my partner and I launched a crowdfunding campaign to help me raise the necessary budget. In just 4 or 5 days, we had raised the necessary funds. I was surprised and touched by all the support I received. It nourished me and lifted my spirits. Looking back, it was a very beneficial step: it gave me even more confidence in myself and my project!
“So, with my partner, we launched a crowdfunding campaign to help me raise the necessary budget.”
What are your favorite things to eat after a great session?
Je suis absolument fan des fruits tropicaux et la mangue de La Réunion est pour moi indétrônable. Tout comme l’avocat. Sinon, le chocolat passerait la ligne d’arrivée loin devant tous les autres si mes péchés mignons faisaient une course ! (Sourire)
©Trent Callaghan Photographie
