Thursday, June 19, Punta 2, Iquique, Chile.
After two days off due to poor conditions, the organizers decided to press on with the Iquique Bodyboard Pro 2025 on its third competition day.
Today at 10 AM local time, the action kicked off again!
The waves have picked up in size, and we saw an incredibly high level of bodyboarding as the top 16 of the Men’s Prime Series hit the water.
ROUND 3 (Non-elimination) / MEN’S PRIME SERIES
In this round, the top riders were in action. Remember, this is a non-elimination round where the top 2 qualify for Round 5, while the 3rd and 4th places get a new chance in Round 4.
The first heat of the day was dominated by Chilean rider Bastian Venegas, who pulled off a radical backflip scored at 8.25. Experienced Moroccan Brahim Iddouch also did well, and both advanced to Round 5.
Ethan Capdeville stood out with a high total of 16.5, executing a deep tube and finishing his wave with a perfect aerial roll that earned him an 8.75. Coming in second was one of Chile’s top riders, Rodrigo Silva, who tied with Tristan Roberts but managed to secure his advancement thanks to a better wave, leaving Tristan in the repêchage.
Current world champion Armide Soliveres took to the water, making it clear he’s here to win in Iquique, racking up the highest total of the round with 16.75 and scoring the best wave of the day at 9.5 with a massive right-hand tube followed by an innovative backside roll. French rider Clement Lodeho advanced with a well-deserved second place.
The current number 1 in the rankings, Pierre Louis Costes, hit the water and didn’t give his opponents a chance, advancing as the first with an incredibly high level of performance. Arica’s Moisés Silva also made it through, showing he’s in great shape.
Cristopher Bayona, a local from Punta Hermosa in Peru, once again showcased his current form by landing multiple radical backflips that secured him first place. Brazil’s Eder Luciano managed to connect two combined waves, allowing him to advance.
The seventh heat featured four competitors who know the wave very well. Lionel Medina from the Canary Islands took first place after pulling off several backflips and completing solid waves. Second place went to last year’s champion, acclaimed local Joaquín Soto.
The last heat of this non-elimination round was won by Brazilian Gabriel Braga, who executed a very high backflip to clinch first place. Argentine Patricio Galay, now based in Chile, made a solid inverted aerial in the last minutes that bumped him up to second place.
ROUND 4 (Repêchage) / WOMEN PRIME SERIES
In this repêchage round, the top two from each heat will join those already qualified for round 5, while the other two will be eliminated from the competition.
The first heat featured two Chilean athletes and two from Japan. In this case, the Japanese competitors took the heat and advanced to the next round, with Sara Abiko finishing first with a solid score of 13 points. Her teammate Yuka Nishimura came in second. The Chileans Suy-Yin Estay and Valentina Díaz are eliminated.
The second and last heat of this repêchage had two Brazilians facing off against two Chileans. Brazilian Maylla Venturin, who placed third last year in Iquique, charged into the water with a lot of energy and finished first. In the final seconds, Blanca Simoes pulled off an incredible roll just as the horn sounded, eliminating one of the favorites, Paloma Freyggan. Local competitor Anais Velis also exits the competition.
ROUND 4 (Repechage) / MEN PRIME SERIES
Just like the last round for the women, it’s now time for the men’s repechage. Conditions remain favorable with the high tide creating good waves and one last chance.
The first heat was especially tight, with all four athletes finishing within just 1.5 points of each other. Peruvian Miguel Rodríguez took the lead with 11.85, closely followed by local rider Agustin Figueroa, who was only 0.10 points behind. Both advance. Brazilian Sergio Machado fell short by 0.30 points, and Maratiri Atán was also very close in a nail-biting heat.
South African Tristan Roberts isn’t wasting any second chances and aims to defend his title in Iquique, so he does his job and advances as the top rider in this repêchage round. Brazilian Isaias Ravyc came in second with an impressive inverted air scoring 7.85, securing his spot in the next round. Chilean Sacha Damjanic and Frenchman Yann Salaun say goodbye to the competition after solid performances.
The third heat was thrilling, with constant shifts in standings right up until the last moment, separating the four competitors by only 0.60 points. Uri Valadao managed to clinch first place, tying on points with Frenchman Yon Aimar, who pulled off a last-minute left backflip to qualify. Junior champion Mikelle Arriagada was in the lead for most of the heat but missed out in the final minutes. Peru’s Micheel Yancce also fell short by just a few tenths of a point.
The day’s final matchup was won by Gran Canaria rider Javier Domínguez, who executed a deep tube followed by a perfect backflip, earning a score of 8.75. The second position went to local legend Matías Díaz. The only competitor from Tahiti, Tahiri Tehei, and young Brazilian Socrates Santana are eliminated.
That wraps up today with some amazing scores, tubes, and aerial moves. The competition continues with the top 24 in the Men Prime Series and the top 12 in the Women Prime Series. The organization has decided to check in competitors tomorrow at 9:00 AM local time, aiming to continue with Round 5 for both divisions.
Stay tuned because the best bodyboarding in the world is guaranteed!
Thanks to all the sponsors and collaborators for making this possible.
PRESENTA:
@municipalidad_iquique
ORGANIZA:
@Cormudepi
AUSPICIA:
@Zofri_sa
@Erizosurfbrand
@hotelcavancha
@kine_vitta
@IbisIquique
COLABORAN:
@clubheaven.cl
@redsaludcchc
@salvavidas_iquique
@chiringuitocavancha.cl
@lajuanaiqq
@agua.manantial
@mariadelmarcafe
@erizosstore
You can follow the event live and everything related to the IBC World Tour through the following channels:
Website: ibcworldtour.com
Instagram: instagram.com/ibcworld_tour
Facebook: facebook.com/ibc.world.tour
TikTok: tiktok.com/@ibcworldtour
Youtube: www.youtube.com/@IBCWorldTour
#municipalidad_ #Cormudepi #Zofri_sa #Erizosurfbrand #hotelcavancha #kine_vitta #IbisIquique #clubheaven.cl #redsaludcchc #salvavidas_iquique
#chiringuitocavancha.cl #lajuanaiqq #agua.manantial #mariadelmarcafe
#erizosstore
#ELMEJORREEFURBANO #IBCWORLDTOUR2025 #IQUIQUEBODYBOARDPRO2025