DAMIANO BONAZZI CROWNED JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPION AND ARMIDE SOLIVERES RULES THE GRAN CANARIA FRONTON KING ON AN EPIC DAY OF COMPETITION

GÁLDAR, GRAN CANARIA (October 29, 2026)

The Gran Canaria Fronton King 2026, the ultimate showdown of the IBC World Tour, wrapped up this Thursday with one of the most memorable days in professional bodyboarding history. In pumping conditions with waves peaking at twenty feet over Gáldar's shallow reef, local star Armide Soliveres captured his first-ever event title, while Italy's Damiano Bonazzi officially claimed the Junior World Championship crown.

Armide Soliveres: The Local Sensation Reaches the Fronton Pinnacle In a nail-biting Open Men final defined by surgical precision, 2024 world champion Armide Soliveres edged out four-time Fronton King champion Amaury Lavernhe (ESP) by the slimmest of margins, 15.25 to 15.00. Soliveres’ road to his first home-turf victory was pure drama. In the semifinals against South Africa's Tristan Roberts—who had already locked up his third IBC World Title earlier in the week—the Canarian found himself trailing with mere seconds left on the clock. Needing a 5.85, Soliveres launched into a buzzer-beater wave scored at 6.25 to snatch the final berth in the dying moments of the heat. In the title bout, Soliveres kept his cool against Lavernhe—who had just posted a massive 17.00 heat total to eliminate France's Pierre-Louis Costes in the other semifinal—to earn his maiden King of the Fronton crown in front of an ecstatic home crowd. "I just tried to follow in the footsteps of the legends who mastered this wave and whom I've looked up to my entire life: Pierre-Louis, Tristan,and Amaury. I paddled out ready to leave everything on the reef. Winning here at home after chasing it for so many years is a dream come true," Soliveres stated after the final.

Damiano Bonazzi: Newly Crowned IBC World Tour Junior Champion The Junior final delivered a relentless, lead-swapping duel between two of the sport's brightest young prodigies: Tenerife-trained Damiano Bonazzi (ITA) and Hawaiian powerhouse Davey Anderson. Bonazzi took the win with a 16.75 two-wave heat total (anchored by an excellent 9.00 ride and a 7.75 backup), holding off Anderson's 15.40 tally (8.40 + 7.00). The victory marks the pinnacle of the young Italian's junior career in his final eligible year, coming on the heels of a sweet semifinal redemption against defending world champion Louka Zaninotto (FRA). "I've been chasing this dream for ten years. Having my club crew catch the 3:00 AM ferry from Tenerife just to back me on the rocks gave me the exact push I needed to handle the pressure out there," said an emotional Bonazzi, the newly anointed Prince of the Fronton.

Tristan Roberts Puts on a Masterclass and Bags the Banana Challenge Despite his semifinal exit, Tristan Roberts posted the most dominant individual heat scores of the day. In the quarterfinals against Brazil's Gabriel Braga, the South African unleashed an absolute clinic, posting a near-perfect heat total of 19.65 out of a possible 20 points. Roberts also took home the prestigious Red Bull Banana Challenge for the event's most radical aerial move, courtesy of a colossal backflip launched right in the heaviest section of the wave.

Final Results – Gran Canaria Fronton King 2026

Men Division

1st Armide Soliveres (Spain)

2nd Amaury Lavernhe (Spain)

3rd Tristan Roberts (South Africa)

3rd Pierre-Louis Costes (France)

Junior Men Division

1st Damiano Bonazzi (Italy)

2nd Davey Anderson (USA / Hawaii)

3rd Louka Zaninotto (France)

2026 IBC Junior Men World Champion: Damiano Bonazzi (ITA)

Red Bull Banana Challenge (Best Aerial Move): Tristan Roberts (Backflip)

The 2026 IBC World Tour season comes to a close after delivering unforgettable moments across multiple continents.Huge gratitude goes out to all the athletes, sponsors, promoters, fans, and crew who made this world-class tour possible.

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS The 14th Gran Canaria Fronton King and the IBC World Tour would like to extend their sincere thanks to all partners:

• Main Sponsors: Instituto Insular de Deportes de Gran Canaria, Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Turismo de Gran Canaria (#VisitGranCanaria), Ayuntamiento de Gáldar, DOS X DOS - Grupo Imagen (Printing Partner), GALAGA AGENCY (Digital Partner), GRUPO FSM (Energy Partner).

• Corporate Sponsors: Cerveza Corona, Sholeo Lodge, Munchitos, Citroën Canarias, Fitness Park.

• Official Partners: Lipton, El Cruce Surf Shop, Ozeano, Loype Eventos, Federación Canaria de Surf.

MEDIA CONTACT AND CHANNELS For complete event coverage, heat replays, and daily updates, visit the official Fronton King and IBC World Tour platforms:

• Website: www.ibcworldtour.com

• YouTube: @IBCWorldTour

• Instagram: @ibcworld_tour

• TikTok: @ibcworldtour

• Spotify: IBC World Tour