There are those out there that absolutely live to surf, and Romain Cloitre is one such person. Like Jeremy Flores, he hails from the tranquil paradise of Reunion Island and has temporarily transplanted to the French mainland to pursue the contest thing. And like Flores, his success comes not just from his passion but his perseverance. In 2007 he won the French legs of the Rip Curl Pro Junior, the Oakley Pro Junior, the Portuguese Pro Junior, and finished ninth at the World Juniors. While the 2004 French champ is obviously a machine when donning a jersey, for him, there’s still no place like home. “My home break on Reunion Island is still my favorite place to surf,” he says. “For now, my aim is to have fun, train, improve and do my best.”