Saturday, May 31st. Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The second stop of the IBC World Tour kicked off at Itacoatiara Beach, one of the best sandy-bottom waves in the world, making it one of the most anticipated events on the circuit. Just a reminder, last season the Itacoatiara Pro was recognized as the best event of the year by the IBC.
On Thursday, there was a competitor and staff briefing, and yesterday, Friday, the organizers decided to postpone the event until today because the surf conditions improved.
The show started at 7:00 a.m. local time, with the top bodyboarders in the world in the Men’s division eager to show what they’ve got.
The waves were huge, and physical fitness was key to fighting the current on one of the toughest waves in the world.
We started with two trial heats made up of 8 riders who had no ranking.
Congrats to the four qualifiers for the main draw: Matheus Billy, Gugu Barcellos, Gabriel Popo, and Renan Souza — the four Brazilians showing the incredible level of the locals.
Also, shoutout to Thiago Jatoba from the local scene, who had a massive wipeout and had to withdraw from the competition.
- ROUND 1
The first heat of this round was dominated by Peruvian Cristopher Bayona, proving he’s in great shape, just like he’s been showing over the past few years.
Peruvian Fabio Saavedra also did his thing, controlling his heat from start to finish.
Zacarias Nunes from Chile took the win in the third heat and secured his spot in Round 2.
Local Brazilian Gugu Barcellos, coming from the trials, once again proved he’s a serious contender, finishing first with confidence.
One of the well-known top-tier riders, Fabien Thazar from Reunion Island, took first place, showing he’s in top form.
Brazilian Sergio Machado scored one of the best totals of the round with 15 points, automatically advancing to Round 2.
The Brazilians kept showing their skill — Pedro Henrique made it through, just 0.15 points behind his fellow countryman Andre Luis.
Peruvian former Junior World Champion Micheel Yancce also impressed, finishing the round with a total of 15 points — one to watch.
The waves kept pounding the coast of Itacoatiara, smashing powerful walls of water onto one of the world’s best beach breaks, so the organizers decided to keep going with Round 2.
- ROUND 2
Cristopher Bayona from Peru kept up his good form and secured his spot in Round 3 as the top seed.
Peruvian riders are on fire — Fabio Saavedra also advanced as the winner of his heat, making it clear they’re here to compete for the title in Brazil.
It’s a battle between Brazilians and Peruvians — Zacarias Nunes showed his potential again, finishing first in a tight heat, with Moroccan Boulahia Hassan just 0.30 points behind in second.
The fourth heat of Round 2 was dominated by French rider Yann Salaun, showing his experience on tour and earning a solid score to move forward.
Portuguese rider Joel Rodrigues did a great job in his heat, securing his spot in Round 3 with a very steady performance.
Sergio Machado had the best score of the day — an 8.75 and a 7.50, totaling 16.25 points, making him the standout rider on this intense day at Itacoatiara.
Local hero Pedro Henrique advanced again, finishing first and proving he’ll be a tough competitor for the rest of the event.
And once again, Peruvian Micheel Yancce made it through first, showing his best form as he always does.
It’s been an intense day at Itacoatiara, with giant waves making it clear that only the best bodyboarders in the world can surf here.
The organizers announced that tomorrow’s check-in is at 6:00 am local time. Good conditions are expected, so if the forecast holds, Round 3 and 4 will take place tomorrow — where the top 24 in the world, along with the Round 2 qualifiers, will hit the water.
The show is guaranteed, so don’t miss the live coverage!
They can follow the live event and everything related to it through the website and various social media platforms.
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