The ASP may be in some organizational turmoil, but you wouldn’t know it judging by the solid race for this year’s world title, which moves to the beachbreaks of Hossegor, France, this week for the Quiksilver Pro. History tells us we can expect anything from two-week flat spells, to massive 10-foot bombs in the Bay of Biscay. France is the place where surfers simply have to be prepared for anything…

When the elements do come together in France, it quickly becomes one of the exciting events on tour. Who could forget 2004, the year Andy and Bruce Irons squared off in a classic final showdown in 8- to 10-foot surf. Or the numerous times Mick Fanning has emerged from French tubes to claim victory. And then there was last year, when rookie Gabriel Medina, surfing in just his second event as a member of the ASP’s Top 32, ripped his way to victory with a his mind-bending aerial attack.

Historically, however, nobody impacted this event more than Andy Irons, whose incredible versatility made him the perfect match for France’s fickle conditions. Irons’ legacy of domination is still the one that looms largest at the Quicksilver Pro, where he made four straight finals between 2002 and 2005, winning three in a row after coming up short in 2002. As we approach the Quik Pro and the second anniversary of Irons’ death, his memorable performances are one more reminder of why he’s so dearly missed.