Wednesday, October 9, 2024
With the presence of:
– Antonio Morales, President of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria
– Teodoro Sosa, Alcalde de Gáldar
The Gran Canaria Frontón King 2024 is kicking off the World Championship this Saturday!
Local hero Armide Soliveres and French competitor Pierre Louis Costes will go head-to-head to see who becomes the new king of this sport. The best bodyboarding show on the planet is back this weekend in Gran Canaria. The Frontón King Pro 2024, the final event of the IBC Bodyboarding World Tour, will take place on the coast of Gáldar from October 12 to 26, bringing together 128 athletes from 16 countries to crown the world champions in the Men’s and Pro Junior Men’s categories.
This just shows how important this event is for bodyboarding. In fact, as announced by the president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, during the event’s presentation, the International Bodyboarding Corporation (IBC) will be moving its headquarters to Gran Canaria starting in 2025, making the island a go-to spot for bodyboarding fans and practitioners worldwide. “We’ve become the main hub for lovers of this discipline, and that’s a huge win for the island, thanks to the exponential growth of this event, which is the most publicized in the world, thanks to the amazing work of the organizers and the strong support from this institution,” the president stated.
Two contenders for the world title
‘La Bestia,’ as the wave at El Frontón is known—considered one of the best in the world for bodyboarding—will be the perfect stage to showcase the talent of the riders competing for the world title in both the open and junior categories. Gran Canaria’s Armide Soliveres and France’s Pierre Louis Costes are the two in the running to become the new king of the sport. Soliveres can clinch the title if he wins or makes it to the finals at Frontón King 2024, but he could also win if his main rival doesn’t take the competition. The excitement is through the roof because it would be the first time a Canary Islander—and also a Spaniard—would be crowned world champion in the top category, something the president called “a boost that makes this edition even more special.” Meanwhile, the French rider is aiming for his third title after winning in 2011 and 2016, and he needs to win in Gáldar while hoping his opponent doesn’t make it to the final round.
In the junior category, up to seven participants could take home the IBC Bodyboarding World Tour title. Mikelle Arriagada (Chile), Louka Zaninoto (France), Unax Pascual (Spain), Jai Taylor (Australia), Esteban Godoy (Chile), Bastián Vengas (Chile), and Gran Canaria’s own Alexander Montes will be in a really exciting and open competition, with Arriagada leading the rankings before the tournament kicks off.
Constant growth and a focus on sustainability
The Frontón King is the most anticipated event, and it keeps getting better every year in every way, including attendance and coverage. This year, the Gran Canaria Frontón King will maintain its extensive outreach with live streaming featuring a water camera, daily highlights, and all the info and updates available on its official channels and social media, as well as in the growing number of international media covering the event.
Economically, the president of the Cabildo emphasized the importance of 98% of the spending generated benefiting local freelancers and businesses, highlighting the circular economy “that benefits us Canarians the most because it’s closest to the local fabric,” as he stated. Additionally, the organization has prioritized sustainability from the start, making the event completely ‘plastic-free’ today. Athletes visiting the island, along with their coaches, family, and companions, typically stay an average of 20 days and are encouraged by the organization to use vacation rentals in the north of the island, generating nearly half a million euros in spending.
“It’s a source of pride for Gáldar to crown champions for years,” said the mayor of the municipality, Teodoro Sosa, highlighted the exponential growth of the event, saying, “It’s put us on the international map thanks to a gem we weren’t fully aware of since the north coast was turned away from the sea, and thanks to the push from the island institution, which is collaborating on the project from three different areas—Presidency, Sports, and Tourism.” He continued, “From the City Council and the Cabildo, we’ve shown that we want to support the professional work that has given ‘La Bestia’ its quality stamp.” The mayor emphasized that the chance to “crown the world champion in our municipality, and for it to be a local rider raised on our shores, would be an immense pride.”
Máximo Torres, the sports director of the Gran Canaria Frontón King, explained the event’s mechanics, which is set for October 12 to 26. During those 14 days of waiting, they will hold the competition for the six best conditions. Torres was optimistic, saying, “The forecasts are looking good. You always have to wait because the sea changes day by day, but we believe the wave is going to get pretty radical, so the show is guaranteed.”
Daniel Hernández, the technical director, called on the public “to come enjoy a top-tier global event where this year they can cheer for Armide and experience something historic not just for the local talent but for all Gran Canarians; it’s going to be super exciting.” He highlighted the pride that all of Gran Canaria feels for turning the wave at El Frontón into a world reference for the sport.
Another important new feature of this twelfth edition is the celebration of a parallel virtual tournament, thanks to an agreement with a developer from California. The game YouRiding will replicate the wave at El Frontón and its competitors so that while the Frontón King is happening, game users can compete in their virtual version, which will be a valuable boost for promoting Gran Canaria.
On October 11, alongside the usual briefing, competitors will receive CPR training from ASOCAN to minimize the risks associated with this complex wave. Additionally, as is characteristic of the Gran Canaria Frontón King, the event will have a strong social focus, welcoming organizations like Pequeño Valiente, Aldeas Infantiles, and several schools and institutes, as well as collaborating on the sale of items from the Trisomía 21 Sports Association.
The Gran Canaria Frontón King 2024 is packed with a fun lineup, featuring dining areas, a market, and sunset concerts that will fill the Gáldar coast with great music and good times. The Gran Canaria Frontón King Pro 2024, part of the IBC Bodyboarding World Tour, is organized by Epic Events and backed by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria 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.
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