After a few days on hold waiting for the swell to cooperate, Day 4 of the Men’s Prime Series finally kicked off today at 9:00 AM local time at Anza Beach. The conditions were a bit smaller than previous days, but that actually worked in everyone’s favor—less current meant the riders didn’t have to burn as much energy paddling out.
ROUND 5
The organizers decided to run only Round 5 today. The remaining 24 athletes faced off in 3-man heats, with only the top two moving on to the Round of 16.
Heat 1: French-Spaniard Amaury Lavernhe dominated again, taking first place with a long ride featuring three super clean rolls for a 7.25. France’s Yann Salaun was right on his heels, trailing by just 0.35. Brazil’s Andre Luiz Tavares exits the event after a solid run.
This one was a total nail-biter. All three riders finished within a single point of each other. World No. 5 Gabriel Braga took the top spot (11.5), followed by Portugal’s Joel Rodrigues (10.9). Junior Champ Louka Zaninotto (10.5) unfortunately missed the cut and says goodbye to Morocco.
This was the performance of the day. The 2025 breakout rider, local hero Chajri Badr Eddine, absolutely went off, securing his spot in the Round of 16 with the day’s highest total: 14.25. Brazil’s Eder Luciano also advanced, narrowly beating out Edwin Aldana (Venezuela), who just missed the Top 16.
We saw defending Morocco champ and current World Champ Uri Valadao in action. The Brazilian remains unstoppable, dropping one of the best waves of the day (an 8.0) with a massive, clean backflip-to-roll combo. Tahiti’s Tahiri Tehei snagged the second spot in a tight race, while France’s Pierre Louis Boisselier—who had an incredible event—finished just 0.1 away from advancing.
Cristopher Bayona is still on fire. The Peruvian took first in his heat ahead of French powerhouse Pierre Louis Costes; both are through to the next round. It was the end of the road for young Moroccan Jmiji Salaheddine, who has been grinding since Round 1 and left the water to a huge round of applause from the crowd.
A massive win for the local fans at Anza! Both advancing riders were Moroccans. Local legend Brahim Iddouch took first, with Elghzal Yassine just 0.35 behind him. The upset of the day was the elimination of Lionel Medina (Canary Islands), who fought hard but couldn’t find the scores.
South Africa’s Tristan Roberts showed why he’s always a favorite, cruising into first place. Chile’s Joaquín Soto took second, proving once again he belongs among the world’s elite. Morocco’s Boulahia Hassan struggled to find his rhythm and was knocked out.
The final heat featured World No. 3 Armide Soliveres. The Spaniard is still the man to beat, locking in a 7-point ride with a backflip-roll-reverse combo. France’s Ethan Capdeville put on a great show to take second, while Morocco’s Benabdeslam Achraf fell short.
That’s a wrap for today at Anza Beach. We’re hoping for even better conditions tomorrow—call is at 8:30 AM local time.
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BIG THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
Associations:
• Imouran surf association
• New Generation anza
• Anza Blue Waves
• Taghazout Boardriders Club
Hotels:
• Tikida Group
• Nobi boutique Surf Hotel Tamraght
Sponsors:
• Pride Bodyboards
• Rip Curl
• Red Bull
• Regional council Souss Massa
Press and TV Channels:
• LA MAP
Tourism:
• RDTR www.visitruralmorocco.com
Authorities:
• Ministry of Education and sports
• City of Agadir
• Souss Massa Regional – Wilaya of souss massa
• Souss Massa Region
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