THULUSDHOO, MALDIVES – August 14, 2026 – High drama and raw grit headlined Day 2 of the 2026 Maldives Pro as competitors fought through elimination repechage heats at Cokes Break. A action-packed day saw former world champions overcome agonizing injury, local heroes rise to the occasion, and major title contenders face early exits.
Credits: Hupa | IBC World Tour | Maldives Pro – Rider: Ali Javeed
Key Highlights:
Grit and Glory: 2024 World Champion Maira Viana (Brazil) hit the water just 24 hours after dislocating her shoulder to drop a 14.50 combined score and win her repechage heat.
Shock Early Exit: Defending World Champion Alexandra Rinder was eliminated in the Women’s Repechage, marking a massive upset in the season opener.
Redemption for Title Contenders: Namika Yamashita (Japan) and Filipa Broeiro (Portugal) bounced back with decisive wins in Heat 2 to lock in their Round 3 slots.
Ali Javeed Steals Men’s Show: Local sensation Ali Javeed posted the highest total score of the day (14.75) to advance into the Round of 16.
Next Call Scheduled: Action is set to resume tomorrow, with the morning call marked for 11:00 AM local time.
Although short, featuring four elimination heats, Day 2 delivered non-stop action. With wave conditions mirroring yesterday’s 4-to-5-foot sets at Cokes, athletes had zero room for error in the non-forgiving repechage rounds.
The opening heat of the Women’s Repechage proved to be the most dramatic of the day so far. Featuring Neymara Carvalho, Maira Viana, Bianca Simões, and defending World Champion Alexandra Rinder, the heat quickly turned into a test of pure mental fortitude.
Brazil’s Maira Viana stole the spotlight. After dislocating her shoulder on a heavy rollo landing during Day 1. In a stunning display of courage, she paddled into the exact same section that injured her the previous day, launching a big rollo to earn a 7.75. Backing it up with a 6.75, her 14.50 combined heat total sealed a heroic victory.
“I underwent surgery on this shoulder in 2016 and recovered 100%, but in 2024, it dislocated again. Yesterday, it happened once more, but I am being closely monitored by my medical team.” explained Viana after her heat victory.
While Maira celebrated redemption, the heat delivered heartbreak for Alexandra Rinder. Unable to find scoring opportunities in the tight matchup, the defending World Champion suffered a shock elimination, exiting the first event of the season in the opening rounds.
Heat 2 of the Women’s Repechage brought smooth redemption for Namika Yamashita (Japan) and Filipa Broeiro (Portugal). Both title contenders found their rhythm early, delivering composed, high-performance rides to advance safely into Round 3.
Closing out the day, the Men’s division entered the water for two vital repechage heats. Ali Javeed put on a dominant performance, finding the cleanest waves to construct a daily event-high total of 14.75 points, punching his ticket straight into the Round of 16.
The competition remains on standby, with event organizers setting the next call for tomorrow, August 15, at 11:00 AM local time.
Catch the live stream, real-time heat scores, and daily video recaps on ibcworldtour.com and the official IBC YouTube channel.
About the IBC
The International Bodyboarding Committe (IBC) is the official governing body for the professional bodyboarding world tour. Dedicated to the global growth, development, and promotion of the sport, the IBC organizes world-class competitive events across multiple divisions, ensuring the world’s best athletes have a premium platform to showcase their talents.
