Round 5 and the Round of 16 lock in the world’s Top 8 on a historic day of competition in Brazil.
NITERÓI, RIO DE JANEIRO (May 26, 2026) – Today was an unforgettable day at the Itacoatiara Pro 2026. Picture-perfect conditions on the white sands of this iconic beach let the world’s best riders leave it all out there, dropping massive scores in an absolute nail-biter of a day.
After an intense battle in Rounds 5 and 6 (30-minute heats), the Top 8 bodyboarders have officially been decided. They’re ready to go all out for the title on Finals Day.
Round 5: The Battle for the Top 16
This round pitted the event’s top 24 riders against each other in three-man heats, all fighting for a spot in the Round of 16. The heavy hitters didn’t disappoint and punched their tickets to the next round. The standouts of the round were:
• Chajri Badr Eddine (Morocco): 15.75 points.
• Amaury Lavernhe (Spain): 15.50 points.
• Pierre-Louis Costes (France): 15.50 points.
• Gabriel Braga (Brazil): 13.65 points.
• Tristan Roberts (South Africa) Ethan Capdeville (France), Armide Soliveres (Spain), and local hero Dudu Pedrá (Brazil) also advanced, winning their respective heats.
Round of 16: Man-on-Man Duels
Round 6 switched to a do-or-die, man-on-man format, featuring eight stacked heats full of heavy strategy and elite talent.
Experience vs. Youth: Pierre-Louis Costes vs. Louka Zaninotto
The first all-French matchup put legend and two-time absolute World Champion, Pierre-Louis Costes (PLC), against current Junior World Champion, Louka Zaninotto. PLC locked in the highest total score of the day (16.50) and the best single wave of the event (9.75) after disappearing into a super deep barrel. Zaninotto bowed out with a stellar performance, hyping up the crowd with a massive air reverse, though he unfortunately couldn’t stick the landing.
Local Clash: Gabriel Braga vs. Sergio Machado
An incredibly tight heat between Brazilian countrymen. Gabriel Braga, a perennial world title contender, took the win by just half a point over his buddy Sergio Machado, who exited to massive cheers from the home crowd.
Local Grit: Dudu Pedrá vs. Micheel Yancce
Former Junior World Champ Micheel Yancce (Peru) fell to local veteran Dudu Pedrá, who is known worldwide for charging heavy waves. In a heat decided by just a few tenths of a point, the Brazilian secured a hometown spot for Finals Day.
Clash of Champions: Tristan Roberts vs. Uri Valadão
The current World No. 1, South Africa’s Tristan Roberts, looked absolutely unstoppable, taking down local icon and reigning World Champ Uri Valadão. Roberts sealed the deal with a crazy invert air that scored a 7.25.
The “Moz” Miracle: Amaury Lavernhe vs. Lionel Medina
An absolute battle between two close friends living in Gran Canaria. Lionel Medina controlled almost the entire heat with two excellent waves (an 8.50 with a clean backflip and a 7.75). But with just one minute left on the clock, Itacoatiara blessed Amaury Lavernhe with a solid left-hander. He pulled off a clutch invert air in extremis, flipping the scoreboard to win it 16.25 to Medina’s 14.90.
Amaury Lavernhe said: “These are the moments I live for in competition. With one minute left, I managed to nail that invert. I’m stoked and feel super connected to Itacoatiara. Plus, it was awesome competing against my good friend and incredible rider Lionel Medina.”
Eyes on the Prize: Armide Soliveres vs. Mikelle Arriagada
Reigning Itacoatiara champ (2024) and World Champion Armide Soliveres (Canary Islands) dominated his heat from start to finish against Chilean breakout star, young Mikelle Arriagada, proving the future of the sport is in good hands.
Pure Style: Ethan Capdeville vs. Tahiti Tehei
France’s Ethan Capdeville, a crowd favorite known for his clean style, took control right from his first wave with a 7.50 invert air. He finished with a 13.25 total to beat Tahitian Tahiti Tehei, who bowed out after a great run.
Down to the Wire: Matías Díaz vs. Chajri Badr Eddine
In the final battle of the day, Morocco’s Chajri Badr Eddine led most of the way after throwing a heavy el rollo on a massive set wave (6.75). However, Chile’s Matías Díaz didn’t miss his chance, stomping a signature backflip for an 8.00 to steal the win and grab the last spot for Finals Day.
Next Call: Lay Day
The event’s technical committee has called a lay day for tomorrow, meaning the riders get a break while we wait for the absolute best swell conditions for Finals Day. The waiting period runs until next Sunday, as the crew aims to pick the most epic day possible to crown the champion.
Stay tuned to all our official channels for the next call and all the latest updates from the IBC World Tour.
• Live Stream: Catch all the action live via the official streaming platform at www.ibcworldtour.com.
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