Saturday, October 12, 2024, Gáldar, Gran Canaria, Spain.
One of the most anticipated events of the year kicked off—the final stop of the IBC World Tour, where the world titles in the Junior and Men Divisions are up for grabs. On Friday the 11th, there was a competitors’ briefing, followed by the distribution of the competitor bags. Then, ASOCAN, the “Canary Lifeguards Association,” held a CPR course. After that, the technical directors of the competition gave a safety and competition talk, making sure all safety measures were in place to guarantee a great show.
The best bodyboarders from around the world have come to Gran Canaria from 16 different countries, with a total of 128 participants—80 in the Men Division and 48 in the Junior Men Division. The first day of competition didn’t disappoint, taking place on one of the most powerful waves in the world. The action kicked off at 8:00 AM with really good conditions—perfect medium-sized waves and no wind on a beautiful day along the Gáldar coast.
The agenda included Round 1 of the Junior and Round 1 of the Men Division.
ROUND 1 JUNIOR MEN DIVISION
The juniors, where up to 6 athletes have a shot at becoming world champions, kicked things off by showing an incredible level of skill, proving once again that the Gran Canaria Frontón King, with a strong presence of local riders, is among the highest levels in the circuit. Ariel Cruz made a splash early on with a fantastic right tube that the judges scored an 8.25, finishing with a total score—calculated from each participant’s two best waves—of 14.05.
Local rider Mauro Quesada, with another tube and a backflip, scored the second-best of the day with 14.50. He was the top local, along with Cruz, Antonio Rodríguez, and Ricardo Martel. Australian Anthony Miller ended up with the fourth-best score, while Chilean Bastián Venegas delivered the best wave of the day—a stunning right tube rated at 9.00—and led the category after the first heat with a total of 17.00 points, keeping his chances of becoming the circuit champion alive.
After the first day of competition, the battle is still on among the younger riders, with Mikelle Arriagada (Chile), Louka Zaninoto (France), Unax Pascual (Spain), Jai Taylor (Australia), Bastián Venegas (Chile), and Gran Canaria’s own Alexander Montes all in the running to take the title in the junior world circuit.
ROUND 1 MEN’S DIVISION
In the open category, the Canarian riders clearly dominated this first day, with standout names like Javi Domínguez scoring a total of 13.85 points and Dailos Rodríguez with 10.25. Sergio Quevedo had the highest score of the day with 14.25, followed closely by Tenerife’s Vsevolod Korneev, who racked up 14.05 points. Ricardo González from Lanzarote, Daniel Quintana, Ivon Martínez from France, and Borja Granados also made their mark, advancing to round 2. Javi Domínguez’s backflip was rated the best move of the day in this division, scoring 8.00 points.
While Saturday’s conditions already showed why El Frontón is considered one of the best waves in the world for bodyboarding, the real action will come in the next few days as the following rounds unfold, bringing the usual radical conditions that have made ‘La Bestia’ the go-to wave in the sport.
These extreme circumstances will provide the perfect backdrop for the enthusiastic Canarian fans to witness the showdown between two-time IBC World Tour champion (2011 and 2016) Pierre Louis Costes from France and local young gun Armide Soliveres, who is currently leading the year’s ranking and could become the first Spanish world champion in history.
The organizers have decided to take a day off tomorrow, Sunday, as bad conditions are expected for the competition. Remember, there will be a total of 6 days of competition over a waiting period of 15 days, trying to pick the best days for the waves to put on a great show.
The Gran Canaria Frontón King Pro 2024, part of the IBC Bodyboarding World Tour, is packed with a variety of music and food options. It’s organized by Epic Events and backed by the Gran Canaria Cabildo through Gran Canaria Tourism, the Insular Sports Institute and its brand European Island of Sport, the Presidency department with its brand La Isla De Mi Vida, and the Gáldar City Council, along with brands like Mercedes-Benz and Corona, plus support from Munchitos and Ozeano.
Make sure to keep an eye on the IBC and Gran Canaria Frontón King website and their social media. You’ll find all the info you need about this awesome event!
@ayuntamientodegaldar @cabildodegrancanaria @grancanariadep @visitgrancanaria @visitgaldar @casacoronacanarias @corona @redbullesp @redbull @munchitos_felicidad @ozeano_ @louzao_mercedes_benz #grancanaria #islaeuropeadeldeporte #thiisliving #laislademividafrontonking #grancanariamegusta #laislademivida #galdar #louzao #ÚnicosComoNuestrasIslas #SaborCanario #MunchitosConElDeporte
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