LOUKA ZANINOTTO CROWNED JUNIOR CHAMPION AT MOROCCO TAGHAZOUT BAY

The first-ever Junior Men Rising Series in Taghazout Bay, Morocco, has officially wrapped up.

Don’t forget—tomorrow is the briefing for the Men’s and Women’s Prime Series divisions, with the waiting period kicking off on Wednesday, February 5, and running until February 16.

Here’s a recap of this intense and thrilling day:

At 8:00 AM local time, the final day of competition for the Junior Men Division got underway. All heats today were one-on-one battles.

Conditions improved compared to yesterday. The waves were small in the morning but got significantly better as the day went on. With no wind and plenty of sunshine, these young surfers put on an incredible show, taking advantage of both lefts and rights, barreling sections, and ramps perfect for explosive aerial maneuvers.

JUNIOR MEN RISING SERIES

QUARTERFINALS

The quarterfinals kicked off, with all riders fighting for a spot in the semifinals and a chance to stand on the podium at Taghazout Bay.

Tarfaoui Souhail (Morocco) vs. Athanae Blanchard (France)
The first heat of the day was an intense back-and-forth battle. In the end, Morocco’s own Tarfaoui Souhail edged out Frenchman Athanae Blanchard to claim the first semifinal spot.

Louka Zaninotto (France) vs. El Moutaouakil Adam (Morocco)
A razor-thin heat decided by just 0.45 points! Louka secured his spot in the semis, proving he was a serious contender. El Moutaouakil put on a stellar performance, showing he’s a name to watch for the future.

Izziki Youssef (Morocco) vs. Elgharbaoui Younes (Morocco)
An all-Moroccan clash that was just as tight as the previous heats. Izziki took the win by a narrow 0.65-point margin, proving nothing comes easy at this level.

Agouzul Abdelkarim (Morocco) vs. Mauro Quesada (Spain)
One of the event’s favorites, Spain’s Mauro Quesada, had to bow out in this heat. Agouzul Abdelkarim was on fire, laying down a solid repertoire of maneuvers and advancing with a 13.6 total score

SEMIFINALS

The highly anticipated semifinals were here! With the four remaining surfers already securing a podium finish at Taghazout Bay, the battle was on for the top spots.

Louka Zaninotto (France) vs. Tarfaoui Souhail (Morocco)
All eyes were on Louka, the last international competitor left in the draw. He put on a show with massive aerials, earning the highest heat total of the day at 15.65. Tarfaoui, despite an incredible run, had to settle for a well-earned third place.

Izziki Youssef (Morocco) vs. Agouzul Abdelkarim (Morocco)
A heavyweight matchup that had the crowd going wild! Izziki was unstoppable, putting together two outstanding waves for a massive 16.25 total—the highest of the entire event. Agouzul bowed out but left with a respectable third-place finish after an amazing performance throughout the comp.

FINAL

YES! We have our finalists, and the energy on Agadir’s stunning coast was electric. The waves were firing, the surfers were dialed in, and the stage was set for an epic showdown.

CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN
LOUKA ZANINOTTO (France) vs. IZZIKI YOUSSEF (Morocco)

An absolute banger of a final! The best waves of the event, the top two riders, perfect sunshine, and a hyped-up crowd. Unfortunately for the local favorite Izziki Youssef, he couldn’t find the right waves to answer back, despite giving it everything he had. He still pulled off an amazing performance, showing off his stylish yet aggressive approach.

And there it is—we have a new champion of the Morocco Taghazout Bay 2025! Louka Zaninotto stole the show, throwing down an insane left-side backflip that had the entire beach on its feet. With a 15.75 heat total, he claimed a well-deserved victory.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FINALISTS!

This is just the beginning—stay tuned as the Men’s and Women’s Prime Series divisions hit the water starting this Wednesday.

Catch all the action live and follow the latest content on IBC World Tour’s official website and social media channels!

www.ibcworldtour.com

Instagram: ibcworld_tour

Main Organisers:

@fedesurfmaroc

@taghazoutbay.officiel

@ibcworld_tour

@imouransurf

Key Sponsors:

@CR.SOUSSMASSA

@taghazoutbay.officiel

@redbullmoroc

@pridebodyboards

@ripcurl_morocco

@Tikida hotels

@radissonblutaghazoutbay

Local Partners:

@Aanzabluewaves

@newgenerationsurfassociation

@TaghazoutBoardRiders

@RDTRSoussMassa

@crtagadirsm

#WorldBodyboard #ibc2025 #TaghazoutBay #AnzaWaves  #BodyboardingMorocco #RideTheWaves #AnchorPointAdventure #bodyboard #bodyboarding #ibcworldtour #visitagadir #visitruralmorocco

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