October 16, Gran Canaria, Gáldar, Spain.
DAY 4 / GRAN CANARIA FRONTÓN KING 2024.
The Frontón showed us its best side today, giving us super clean conditions, no wind, and perfect waves for tubes and radical maneuvers, where the audience got to enjoy the show with the highest scores of the entire event.

The big day has arrived. The highly anticipated showdown in the men’s division for the Bodyboard world title kicked off this Wednesday with the first session for both the two-time world champion, Frenchman Pierre Louis Costes, and the young local contender Armide Soliveres, who leads the year’s ranking and could become the first Spanish world champion in history. Even though they started in a non-elimination round, the vibe in the athlete area and among the large crowd gathered at this spot on the Galdense coast made it clear that the Gran Canaria Frontón King is about to get epic.


The Canarian has a real shot at making history by becoming the first Spaniard to win the title, and he’s up against someone he’s looked up to since he was a kid—one of the best riders in the world right now. Costes needs to win the event to claim the title, and in his first performance, he smoothly pulled off one of the toughest moves in the sport, a 360º aerial, showing he’s ready to give it his all and fight for that title with everything he’s got, putting pressure on Soliveres, who was heading into the next heat of this fourth round.


The Canarian, however, played it smart, using his priority strategically until the end, which helped him finish second in his heat. Round 4 is unique because it’s non-elimination, meaning the top two move straight to Round 6, while the third and fourth go to a repechage round. Pierre and Armide are now in Round 6, super focused and motivated.
Pierre Louis Costes from France said, “I’ve been feeling great, I was really looking forward to getting in the water and starting my journey. I know there are a lot of steps to take, but I’m grateful to be in this position.” For Costes, being at the Frontón—an event that “has given me the best moments of my career,” as he puts it—competing against a Canarian who could become the first Spaniard to win the world title “feels a bit magical, and I think no matter what happens, we’re going to write a beautiful chapter for our sport.”


But beyond the competition, there was a lot of action in the water this Wednesday. Kicking things off was Chilean Moisés Silva, who fought for the world title until the second-to-last event in Sintra, Portugal. He made his debut in this edition of the Gran Canaria Frontón King with the first perfect score of the event—a reverse aerial executed with flawless technique, reaching a height of two meters above the wave before landing perfectly. His second score was a solid 9, giving him the highest total score of the event so far, just shy of perfection at 19.00 points.





Along with the three riders mentioned, other heavyweights like Peruvian Micheel Yancce—current world champion in the junior category, which he also won at El Frontón—advanced directly to the sixth round in the men’s division. His fellow countryman Christopher Bayona put on a spectacular performance; French rider Amaury Lavernhe, who’s based in Gáldar, Brazilian Gabriel Braga, and South African Tristan Roberts were also standout names today.





It was a crucial day in the Junior Division as well. This round brought a lot of excitement, with not only this non-elimination fourth round but also the repechage and sixth rounds. Surprisingly, two strong contenders were knocked out: Australian Jai Taylor and Spanish rider Unax Pascual. Chilean Mikelle Arriagada, the main contender for the world title, was also eliminated, meaning he no longer controls his own destiny for the championship. This is good news for Gran Canarian Alexander Montes, the only remaining contender in the competition. However, like Costes in the absolute category, Montes needs to win the event to take the title from the Chilean. Any other outcome would crown Arriagada.

Arriagada was eliminated in a heat against Montes and another local rider
Arriagada got knocked out in a heat against Montes and another local rider, Jorge Hernández, who was just a step away from his second junior world title last year. He had to drop out of the competition due to an injury that kept him from being on the circuit this year, and he put on a show that definitely added pressure on the Chilean. Hernández’s motivation, after missing the season, is to become the ‘prince’ of El Frontón. Right now, he’s already in the quarterfinals, along with other Canarians like Alexander Montes, Ariel Cruz, Mauro Quesada, Néstor Reyes, and Dia Polo—showing off the strength of the local talent—plus the Peruvian Micheel Yancce and the Hawaiian Shaden Ahn.



The Gran Canaria Frontón King Pro 2024, part of the IBC Bodyboarding World Tour, is packed with a variety of music and food offerings. It’s organized by Epic Events and promoted by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through Gran Canaria Tourism, the Insular Sports Institute, and its brand Isla Europea del Deporte, along with the Presidency department with its brand La Isla De Mi Vida, and the Gáldar City Council, plus support from brands like Mercedes-Benz and Corona, along with collaborations from Munchitos and Ozeano.

Photos by: Richard Alemán y Jesús de León
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!

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