ITACOATIARA PRO IBC 2023 HIGHLIGHTS/Press Release and Photos DAY 3

TWO BRAZILIANS ADVANCE TO THE FINALS OF THE ITACOATIARA PRO BODYBOARD WORLD CONTEST THIS FRIDAY, JUNE 16th

Decisive day for the Bodyboard World Championship with a forecast of barreling waves up to two meters.

After a day of rest, the athletes returned to the ocean on Thursday to take on the powerful waves at Itacoatiara Beach in Niterói for the third stage of the IBC World tour, known as the Itacoatiara Pro World Contest 2023. The spotlight shines on athlete Diego Cabrera from the Canary Islands, who excelled by scoring the best wave of the day, a perfect score of 10. He also achieved the highest total score of 14.25 points out of a possible 20, combining his two best waves. Diego has a history of success in Itacoatiara, having previously won the championship in 2015. He has already secured his place in the final day of the competition, which will feature the 16th round, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand final. Only 16 competitors remain in the running for the title, including two Brazilians: Uri Valadão from Bahia, who was the world champion in 2008, and Socrates Santana from Rio de Janeiro, a two-time world champion in the JUNIOR MEN division.

“This Friday, starting at 7:00 am, with the forecast of it being the best day of the competition window, we will be hosting the finals of the championship. Along with good waves, reaching up to 2 meters, the ocean is expected to offer excellent conditions for the athletes’ performance,” explains Giuliano Lara, director of the competition and creator of the Itacoatiara Pro. He predicts that the grand final should take place around 2 pm.

In addition to earning points for the rankings, the champion will be awarded a prize of R$ 150,000 offered by the Itacoatiara Pro Festival. This event marks the culmination of the South American leg of the International Bodyboarding Corporation (IBC) World Tour, which kicked off in Chile. Following Brazil, the world’s elite bodyboarders will venture to the Maldives, Morocco, France, South Africa, and the Canary Islands.

The final day of the 2023 Itacoatiara Pro World Contest can be experienced live on the internet via the IBC’s YouTube channel at the following address: https://www.youtube.com/@IBCWorldTour. The online broadcast of the competition has shattered viewing records, surpassing 50,000 views.

Here are the upcoming matchups for round 16, which will take place this Friday:

David Hubbard (HAW) vs Sammy Morretino (HAW)

Ethan Capdeville (FRA) vs Mathias Dias (CHI)

Tanner McDaniel (HAW) vs Christopher Bayona (PER)

Lionel Medina (ESP) vs Maycol Yancce (PER)

Rodrigo Silva (CHI) vs Uri Valadão (BRA)

Diego Cabrera (ESP) vs Yon Aimar (FRA)

Manuel Cepeda (CHI) vs Moises Silva (CHI)

Brahim Iddouch (MAR) vs Sócrates Santana (BRA)

Press Release: Eric Schnitzler

@tonydandreafotografia