JUNIOR MEN SPOTS LOCKED IN FOR THE GRAN CANARIA FRONTON KING FINAL

GÁLDAR, GRAN CANARIA, SPAIN

From October 17th to 31st, the waters off Gáldar in Gran Canaria, Spain, will once again become the epicenter of international bodyboarding as it hosts the 2026 Gran Canaria Frontón King. Marking its 14th edition, this event is the grand finale of the world tour on one of the heaviest, most demanding, and feared waves on the planet: El Frontón. The event will serve as the ultimate battleground to crown the Men’s and Junior Men’s World Champions.

JUNIOR MEN’S FINAL GATHERS TOP PROSPECTS FROM 11 NATIONS

The Junior Men’s Division reaches its climax after an international qualifying tour featuring Rising Series events in Australia, Morocco, Peru, Mexico, the Maldives, and Spain. A 48-rider field (averaging eight qualifiers per event) will battle it out in the grand final for the 2026 Junior Men’s World Champion crown.

France’s Louka Zaninotto is heading in to defend his world title among a stacked field that already has 42 confirmed spots. The event brings together the next generation of global bodyboarding talent, featuring competitors from 11 countries across 5 continents: Australia, Peru, the United States, the Maldives, Chile, Mexico, Spain, France, Brazil, Morocco, and Portugal.

The Junior Men’s Rising Series was created by the IBC primarily to:

Cut down on long-distance travel for younger athletes throughout the year.

Keep competition costs down.

Allow riders to stay focused on their schoolwork.

The selection of the 48 qualified riders was based on their event results and carried out according to the following procedure:

The IBC emails each qualified athlete.

The athlete accepts or declines the invitation.

The athlete has two weeks to respond to the email.

The athlete must complete the registration and process the entry fee within 7 days.

If any of these steps are not completed, the spot will go to the next athlete on the ranking list until all 48 available spots are filled.

MEN’S WORLD TITLE

Reigning world champion Uri Valadao returns to Gran Canaria to defend his crown on the biggest stage of 2026. Sitting at the top of the current rankings is South Africa’s Tristan Roberts, who is just one step away from locking in world glory. Roberts only needs to finish his first heat to officially seal the title.

However, the event format keeps the suspense high: as a Top 16 rider, Roberts won't hit the water until the Main Event, typically on day three or four of competition, after the initial field of 82 riders is trimmed down to 32 finalists. Until then, championship tension will be hanging thick over the Gáldar coast.

Waiting to capitalize on any slip-up are global powerhouses like Pierre-Louis Costes, Amaury Lavernhe, and local Canarian favorite Armide Soliveres. Meanwhile, the rest of the international fleet will be locked in a high-intensity battle to lock down a spot in the Top 16, which guarantees direct qualification into the Main Event for the 2027 season. All of this comes with the added prestige of being named "King of Frontón”, a feat reserved for a very select elite in professional bodyboarding.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN VIA IBC HUB

Registration for the 14th Gran Canaria Frontón King is officially open on the IBC Hub platform.

• Men’s Division: Capped at 82 total spots (16 reserved for the current Top 16 and 64 open to contenders). Due to high demand, organizers strongly recommend signing up ASAP.

CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE PROGRAM IN GÁLDAR

The Gran Canaria Frontón King goes beyond the competition with a full lineup of cultural and lifestyle events along the island's northern coast. In partnership with Corona Beer, the Corona Sunset Sessions will kick off right after the daily competition wraps up. The event will cap off with the Frontón King Music Experience, a massive celebration bringing together athletes, fans, and the local community right among the banana plantations of the Gáldar coastline.

EVENT FACT SHEET

• Location: El Frontón, Gáldar, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.

• Dates: October 17th - 31st, 2026. A 15-day waiting period where the technical committee will pick the 6 best swell days for competition. Schedules will be dropped across official channels.

• Prize Purse & Points:

◦ Men’s Division: $35,000 USD / 5,000 points.

◦** Junior Men’s Division: $10,000 USD / 1,000 points.

• Rider Cap: 82 spots (Men) / 48 spots (Junior Men).

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

The 14th Gran Canaria Frontón King and the IBC World Tour would like to thank the public institutions and corporate partners making this event possible:

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

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

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

CONTACT & OFFICIAL CHANNELS

For updates, live streams, and event coverage:

• Official Website:** www.ibcworldtour.com

• YouTube: @IBCWorldTour

• Instagram: @ibcworld_tour

• TikTok: @ibcworldtour

• Spotify: IBC World Tour

Frequently Asked Questions