After the competition briefing and the opening ceremony for the Visit Maldives Pro 2024 in the previous days, the show officially kicked off today at this highly anticipated and important stage of the IBC World Tour.
The conditions were favorable for the start of the competition, with 2-meter waves. Although the cross-off wind wasn’t ideal for tubes, the athletes delivered high scores and a wide variety of maneuvers.
The Trials, Round 1, and up to heat number 15 of Round 2 for the MEN division were all in the water. The Trials and Round 1 for the WOMEN division also began.
MEN DIVISION (Trials and Round 1)
The Visit Maldives Pro 2024 kicked off with the Trials for the MEN’s division, where local riders Nooh Mohamed Irashad and Mohameed Jareesh Jihaadh stood out. Following that, Round 1 of the MEN’s division began, featuring some key riders looking to make their mark in the global top rankings.
Heat 3 was particularly intense, with the first place decided by just 0.5 points. Moroccan rider Yassine Elghazal took the top spot with 10.8 points, closely followed by young Spanish rider Ethan Pérez with 10.75.
Notable performances also came from Portuguese rider Frederico Castelo and Maldives rider Ahmed Nazmeen, who both advanced to the next round.
Canary Islands rider Jorge Hernández won his heat, scoring one of the best points of the day with a 7-point invert. Local young athlete Aamin Moosa also impressed, achieving the best wave of Round 1 with a backflip scored at 7.5.
Another thrilling heat was number 6, where Brazilian Eder Luciano secured his spot in first place, closely followed by current Junior Men’s ranking number 1, young Canary Islands athlete Alexander Montes.
Joel Rodrigues from Portugal also advanced in first place, showcasing his excellent form, while Venezuelan rider Edwin Aldana moved on in second.
Young Moroccan rider Sami Laabi dominated his heat from start to finish. Local rider Sham Rafiu also advanced to Round 3, joining the global top ranks.
Aitor Ojeda from the Canary Islands did his job and came in first, ahead of Moroccan Badreddine El Fajhi, who made it through the heat in the last few seconds.
The tenth and final heat of round 1 was super exciting. We gotta highlight the performance of Japan’s Hayato Enokido. The second place went to Moroccan rider Gharib Abdelhafeid.
WOMEN DIVISION (Trials and Round 1)
At 1:30 PM “local time”, it was time for the women’s division and the start of the trials heats.
The Japanese riders dominated the trials with Haruka Yasumi, Sara Abiko, and Rin Komatsuzaki, along with Portuguese rider Mariana Rosa, all making it to the next round.
Then, Round 1 kicked off, featuring several athletes fighting for a spot in the top 12.
Austrian rider Alexandra Rinder didn’t disappoint and showed once again why she’s one of the best in the world. Brazilian Nicolle Calheiros also qualified in her heat.
Wildcard Luana Dourado from Portugal passed her heat with an impressive score of 13.75, surprising everyone with a giant roll and moving ahead of her fellow countrywoman Mariana Rosa.
Another Japanese rider, Kaira Shirahase, proved the high level of talent from her country by coming in first in her heat, leaving one of the favorites, Teresa Miranda from the Canary Islands, in second place.
South Africa’s Pamela Bowren advanced in first, closely followed by Japanese rider Sara Abiko, who came from the trials and is already qualified for the main event.
That wrapped up the women’s division for the day, but the organizers decided to keep going with Round 2 of the Men Division, and the top 16 in the world hit the water.
MEN DIVISION (Round 2 Non-Elimination)
The show kicked off with Hawaiian Dave Hubbard looking super solid, followed by Reunion Island rider Fabien Thazar, both of whom are regulars and know this wave really well.
Ethan Capdeville showed why he’s currently ranked 6th, coming in first in his heat, closely followed by the awesome Moroccan rider Brahim Iddouch.
The standout of the day was Brazilian Socrates Santana, who scored the best wave of the day with a spectacular backflip that got an 8.5. French rider Maxime Castillo also did a great job.
Brazilians Eder Luciano and Gabriel Braga shined in their heat, showcasing the high level of bodyboarding in their country.
Frenchman Yann Salaun stood out in his heat, even above former world champion and current number 3 in the rankings, Tristan Roberts.
The organizers decided to wrap up today after heat number 15 of the Men’s division Round 1. Tomorrow, Sunday, August 4th, competitor check-in is at 7:00 “local time”.
Stay tuned for the live broadcast at:
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