The day started with the highly anticipated first round of the Dropknee division, which will only feature this event this year to crown its World Champion.
In this round, the athlete Kawika Rorh Kamai from Oahu, Hawaii, stood out above all other competitors, managing to score the highest total score of the competition so far, which was 16 points with a 9-point barrel and another wave of 7 points with radical maneuvers in his outstanding backend stance.
We also saw for the first time the MEN division with their Round 1, where Brazilian athlete Jose Augusto Moises dominated with a total of 14 points, followed by Easter Islander Maratiri Atan (13 points), local Sebastian Siede (11.85 points), and Jean Pierre Silva from Mejillones (11.75 points).
Definitely stealing the show completely was the performance of the young female bodyboarding stars who made us thrilled with their last appearance on the world tour this year, leaving a mark in the history books of bodyboarding.
It all started with the quarterfinals where the Peruvian revelation of this division Hanna Saavedra eliminated the promise from Iquique, Emiliana Gonzalez, disqualifying her from the event and the possibility of obtaining the world title.
The next title contender and one of the favorites, being the 2023 world champion, Aarya Tabalno, lost her chance to win the title to another possible champion: Luna Hardman, when the last advanced to the semi-finals.
The most electrifying moment of the day was the grand final between the last two contenders with the possibility of becoming World Champions.
The young Portuguese revelation of only 14 years managed to defeat who had been leading for the first time in history both: the Junior Women’s Ranking and the world ranking of the WOMEN division: Luna Hardman.
However, this victory (the first of her career) did not give Princess Luana the possibility of taking the World Title as she ended up tied with Luna, and now this desired honor will only be decided in an exclusive SUPERHEAT for them (something that hadn’t happened in many years on the world tour), where the winner will be the next Junior Women’s World Champion.
Join us every day for live action streaming on the official IBC WORLD TOUR YouTube channel as there is a lot more yet to come on the richer and longest event of the World Tour Calendar!
This event is organized by Budeo Club and presented by Escondida | BHP and SQM Yodo Nutrición Vegetal brings together the best athletes from countries such as Japan, South Africa, France, Spain, Hawaii, Italy, Morocco, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, and Chile, among others, who can be seen in action until May 26 on Llacolén Beach, in the southern sector of the city and completely free of charge.
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