The first day of competition at the 2024 Iquique Bodyboard Festival, the inaugural Chilean event on the IBC World Tour, kicked off today with exceptional conditions. Big airs at the outside section were the maneuvers most highly valued by the judges.
With the waiting period for the Iquique Bodyboard Festival starting today and extending until May 10th, the technical team had an easy job calling the event “On” for today as the swell predicted shoulder-high to head-high surf with slight crosswinds throughout the day. Near-perfect conditions were expected at Punta 2, the venue for the Iquiquean event.
Action began early in the morning at 7:30am, with the Pro Junior Men’s Division where the under-18 riders put on a bodyboarding show, entertaining the spectators. As the tide came in, conditions improved throughout the entire round, culminating in the first excellent score of the day during the 6th heat, when the Peruvian Luis Esteban Bravo earned a single score of 8.50 with a big invert on the right-hander of Punta 2. The second-best score of this round was achieved by the Chilean Omar Espinoza, with a single score of 7.25. With the second round of the Junior Men division set, it was time to advance in the competition, and the Men’s division hit the water for the first time during this event.
Despite the wind gaining strength, good waves persisted throughout the day, allowing the men’s division to find some gems. Augustin Figueiroa was the standout of the day, managing to secure a 9-point ride with a big backflip at the outside section. Nevertheless, once again, a Peruvian, Roland Gomez, managed to achieve an excellent score. With a combination of an 8.50 and an 8 point ride, making a total score of 16.50 points, Roland achieved the highest total score of the day.
As we anticipate more excellent conditions, it’s time to sit back and enjoy some of today’s highlights. Stay tuned for more thrilling action as the 2024 Iquique Bodyboard Festival continues.
