From IBC, we’ve got an exclusive interview with one of the icons of bodyboarding. In it, you’ll find answers that make this rider even greater, if that’s possible!

Pic: Rubén Grimón IBA / Frontón Pro 2011
- Pierre Louis Costes / France, Vichy / 34 years old / World Champion in 2011 and 2016

Gran Canaria Frontón King 2016
– What do you think about Armide Soliveres?
I really admire Armide, since the beginning it was easy to see how nice and humble this kid was, my first memory with him was from Viana do Castelo in Portugal when he was competing in the juniors, I met him and his father and I felt so much passion from them about bodyboarding, they were very sincere and I met all his family since and they are all incredibly good people.
What I admire maybe the most besides his natural talent and very mature way to compete is the fact he managed to live a normal teenager life , finished his studies and got his bachelor’s degree as a nurse , he did all that and won everything there was to win for him and now will fight for the ultimate dream potentially to become world champion in the men’s division.
The bodyboarding and surfing lifestyle when you are a young talent is incredible, I won’t complain but there are many sacrifices involved that people don’t see, it becomes almost impossible to pursue any other career when sponsors put pressure on you to perform in your sport, guys like Tanner, Tristan myself or even John John or Medina in surfing were not able able to continue their studies for a long time, it almost becomes a choice at a certain moment.
Armide is currently showing that you can achieve goals in your sport and not sacrificing your studies which will be inspiring for the next generation especially when we know how hard it is to have financial help in our sport.

–What’s your take on the Canary Islands in general and bodyboarding there?
I did my first free surf trip in the Canaries when I was 13 years old, I surfed Fronton for the first time when I was 15 years old and used to spend months there as a teenager.
I love the Canaries, it’s honestly part of my life and who I am today, I met some friends along the way and the people from the Canaries shaped me into a better athlete and a person.
The level of bodyboarding was always incredible and I got very humble sharing the line up with them.
Today , the Canaries is one of those place you feel extremely proud to be a bodyboarder, I really feel I was very fortunate to have people bringing me here when I was younger, it was clearly part of my destiny to one day become world champion at here, I didn’t know it at the time but certain things happen for a reason I guess.

– There are a lot of French riders competing in the IBC World Tour right now. What do you think about bodyboarding in France?
Bodyboarding in France is strong, I am really proud to see this emulation and so many french people on tour.
It wasn’t so long ago Amaury and I were alone following the tour and we do feel responsible for inspiring so many young talents to follow our footsteps, we are both very proud, it’s really amazing to be able to still be competing and help them the best we can. It’s also really admirable because some of them sacrifice so much to be there, it’s not their jobs and they honestly inspire me a lot chasing their dreams with so much passion.

– What does the Frontón wave and the Gran Canaria Frontón King event mean to you?
Fronton is the best bodyboarding wave in the world . And to me, I owe so much to that wave, I won my first world title there, a gold medal at the ISA, a second world title, I won the event twice and the 2012 edition was one of my greatest win on tour. It’s crazy how Fronton played such an important role in my life, it’s more than a wave for me, it’s a place my dreams came true.

– You’ve got a big challenge ahead to become world champion again in the Canary waters. How are you planning to tackle that challenge?
Right now , I feel grateful to be in that position. This means a lot to me, I wanted to be in this position.
Since the first professional event at Fronton, I was there, I know I made part of this evolution and revolution in the sport of bodyboarding, Fronton changed the sport forever in free surf and competition.
We are only a few who are still here today still competing, part of this evolution was to watch the canarians becoming incredible athletes and it was just a matter of time someone would put himself in a position to fight for a (Men) world title.
Becoming the first ever world champion crowned at Fronton in 2011 is one my greatest achievement in my career, and today I will fight a world title 13 years later against someone from Gran Canaria , for the first time history a direct product of all those years will fight to become potentially the first Spanish/Canarian world champion, it’s highly symbolic for bodyboarding and a beautiful page of our sport is about to be written.

Photo: Helio Antonio @helio_antonio / Pierre training this week in Nazaré, Portugal.

THANKS, AND SEE YOU AT THE GRAN CANARIA FRONTÓN KING!
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