ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE – Wednesday, May 6, 2026
The legendary “La Nilda” wave officially claimed its throne today as the ultimate playground for global bodyboarding. Day 5 of the Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival (ABF) kicked off at 7:15 AM with some of the most epic conditions we’ve seen yet, letting the world’s elite go all out in the Men’s Prime Series Round 4 and the Dropknee Quarterfinals.
MEN’S DIVISION ROUND 4: THE CHILEAN ARMADA BRINGS THE HEAT
Local riders showed some serious grit today, dominating the repechage round to lock in their spots among the Top 24:
• Moisés Silva (Arica): The man of the hour! Silva tied the tournament record with a massive 17.25 total. He pulled off a heavy backflip on a La Nilda left that had the crowd losing it, earning a perfect 9.00 from the judges.
• Joaquín Soto (Iquique): Showing veteran-level composure, Soto cruised through with a solid 14.75 score.
• Matías Díaz (Iquique) & Cristóbal Paoa (Rapa Nui): Both handled high-pressure heats like pros. Díaz sealed the deal with a spectacular 7.50 backflip.
• Rising Talent: Joining the veterans in the finals are 16-year-old breakout star Cristóbal Tobar and Gustavo Neira, who had already punched their tickets in the previous round.
BRAZILIAN POWER AT LA NILDA
The Brazilian crew definitely made their presence felt. Gabriel Braga dropped jaws with a deep barrel for an 8.50, while Isaias Ravyc rode the edge on a heavy drop to post a 14.75 total. Eder Luciano also advanced after throwing down a technical tube-to-backflip combo.
DROPKNEE QUARTERFINALS: CLASH OF THE TITANS
The DK Quarterfinals delivered intense man-on-man battles for a spot in the final four:
• Heat 1: A Chilean face-off where Leonardo Alar edged out local legend Manuel Cepeda by the skin of his teeth (9.25 vs 9.00). While Cepeda leaves to a standing ovation, Alar moves on to face Hawaiian powerhouse Sammy Morretino in the semis.
• Heat 2: Current World Champ Sammy Morretino took on Chile’s Gabriel Brantes. Morretino looked unstoppable on his quest to defend the title, while Brantes wrapped up an impressive run in 5th place.
Sammy Morretino post-win: “It’d be historic. My dream final would be against Amaury (Moz); seeing him become the only guy besides Damian King to hold world titles in both divisions is a huge motivator for me.”
• Heat 3: In a highly anticipated matchup, Jericco Rosero (Galapagos, Ecuador) took down European Champ David Valladares. Rosero moves into the Top 4, while Valladares exits after a world-class performance.
• Heat 4: A battle between best friends from Reunion Island saw Amaury Lavernhe besting Fabien Thazar. “Moz” is still chasing history, looking to become only the second rider ever to be crowned World Champ in both Prone and DK.
NEXT UP: HIGH-STAKES FRIDAY
With a Lay Day (rest day) scheduled for Thursday, May 7, the action picks back up on Friday, May 8, with Round 5. The brackets are stacked:
• Heat #1: Matías Díaz (CHI) vs. Lionel Medina (ESP) vs. Gabriel Braga (BRA).
• Heat #2: Gustavo Neira (CHI) vs. Armide Soliveres (ESP) vs. Ethan Capdeville (FRA).
• Heat #6 (South American Clash): Joaquín Soto (CHI) vs. Moisés Silva (CHI) vs. Eder Luciano (BRA).
• Heat #8: Cristóbal Paoa (CHI) vs. legends Pierre Louis Costes (FRA) and Yon Aimar (FRA).
Conditions for Friday are looking prime for the technical, high-performance riding the IBC World Tour is known for.
Catch the action LIVE at: https://www.ibcworldtour.com
Main sponsors:
Escondida | BHP
ilustre Municipalidad de Antofagasta
Colaboran:
Colbún
Antofagasta Minerals
Fundación Cultural Turismo Sustentable
PERI Chile
Red bull
Carnicería Arauco
Abastible
Transportes Laury
Cool Construcciones modulares
JetSmart
Hotel RK Antofagasta
Aguas Antofagasta
Ruta 1 Restaurant
Mirador Sangucheria
Costa Club Antofagasta
SDF
Service IT
Media partners:
El Mercurio de Antofagasta
Antofagasta Televisión
Diario AS Chile
FM 7
El Regionalista diario
Antofa despierta
Puro Surf Chile
Latin Wave
Cura3Puntas
Región 2
Escena Surfera
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