NEW CHAMPS ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE VISIT MALDIVES PRO 2024!

The long-awaited final day of the Visit Maldives Pro 2024 has finally arrived! It was a day packed with excitement and unforgettable moments, as the best surfers in the world hit the water to compete for the championship title and earn points towards becoming world champions or climbing the IBC World Tour rankings in various divisions. The competition kicked off at 8:30 AM local time, and the conditions were way better than yesterday. The swell direction changed, allowing for some long right-hand waves. Each day has brought different conditions, which really highlights the versatility of the athletes as they’ve had to adapt. Here’s the schedule for the day:

– Men’s Quarterfinals – Women’s Quarterfinals – Men’s Semifinals – Women’s Semifinals – Junior Men’s Semifinals – Women’s Final – Junior Men’s Final – Men’s Final The action is on, and the tension is rising in this paradise known as the Maldives! MEN’S DIVISION (Quarterfinals)

The best in the world were in action, trying to snag a spot on the podium at the Visit Maldives Pro 2024. The heats were super close as they fought for the title.

We were in for a titan showdown in these semifinals. With all the athletes guaranteed a spot on the podium, it was just a matter of who would make it to the grand final.

The first heat was super tight, pitting Hawaiian Dave Hubbard against Brazilian Gabriel Braga. This heat was decided by just 0.4 points, with Dave edging out to move on to the final. Gabriel put on a great show, still in the running for the world title after finishing in third place at this event.

What a brutal showdown between two of the best athletes right now! Armide Soliveres from the Canary Islands went head-to-head with Pierre Louis Costes from France. It’s worth mentioning that Armide pulled off the best score of the championship with a total of 17.25, riding two waves that scored over 8 points each. An incredible performance that left none other than Pierre Louis Costes—two-time world champion and a big name in the bodyboarding scene—in the combo.

WOMEN’S DIVISION (Semifinals)

Japanese surfer Namika Yamashita went up against world champion Neymara Carvalho. This time, Namika didn’t give the Brazilian any chances and easily secured her spot in the big final. Neymara came in third, proving why she’s one of the top names in the sport.

The second semifinal featured another Japanese surfer, Sari Ohhara, and titleholder Teresa Miranda. This time, Sari did her job flawlessly, racking up an impressive score of 14.5. Teresa from the Canary Islands had to give up her crown and settles for third place this year. JUNIOR MEN’S DIVISION (Semifinals)

The finals are here, and all the athletes are fighting to be champions in their divisions. The tension is high, and the excitement is building in these three finals.

The show kicked off with the Japanese competitors, a tight battle between compatriots that went down to the last second. Namika Yamashita, ranked 6th in the IBC, faced off against Sari Ohhara, ranked 10th and the 2019 world champion. It was a nail-biter decided by just tenths of a point.

1st: NAMIKA YAMASHITA (Japan) with a total of 12.75 is the new champion of the Visit Maldives Pro 2024!

2nd: Sari Ohhara (Japan) with 12 points, who gave it her all until the very end.

Congrats to all the women competitors for putting on such a great show! JUNIOR MEN’S FINAL

We had the future stars of bodyboarding in action, riders surfing at an incredibly high level and ensuring the sport’s future.

The final featured Australian Jai Taylor, a young talent who has been surfing with impressive flow and style since round 1, and Chilean Mikelle Arriagada, currently ranked 2nd and still in the hunt for the world title, showing off his top-notch skills.

1st: JAI TAYLOR (Australia) landed an invert scored at 8 points and took the win.

2nd: Mikelle Arriagada (Chile) tried hard until the end but couldn’t quite beat the high scores from the Aussie.

Remember, the Junior Men’s champion for 2024 will be decided at the last event in Gran Canaria Frontón King this October. MEN’S DIVISION FINAL What a highly anticipated final we had, featuring two of the strongest riders who proved themselves heat after heat. There was no doubt it was going to be a battle of titans, and that’s exactly what went down. In one corner, we had Hawaii’s Dave Hubbard, the 2022 Maldives Pro champ and currently ranked 5th in the IBC. In the other corner, we had Armide Soliveres from the Canary Islands, the current number 1 in the IBC rankings and the winner of the last event in Itaocaitiara, Brazil. This final was so close it was decided by just 0.25 points, keeping the excitement alive until the final horn blew. The new champion of the Visit Maldives Pro 2024 is:

1st: ARMIDE SOLIVERES (Canary Islands, Spain), who’s still going strong in his quest to become world champion.

2nd: Dave Hubbard (Hawaii, USA), without a doubt the most versatile rider in the world, who was right on the brink of reclaiming the title.

On Friday, August 9th at 4:00 PM “local time,” we’ll have the Closing Ceremony, which will include the official awards presentation for the Visit Maldives Pro 2024. A huge thank you to all the athletes from the different divisions for putting on such an amazing show. Thanks to the entire organization for all the hard work and dedication that went into making this event happen. And a big shoutout to all the sponsors for supporting this IBC World Tour event. In short, thank you to everyone who played a part in promoting, supporting, or collaborating with this event in any way.

Don’t forget, the next stop is in Sintra, Portugal, from September 3rd to 8th.

Stay tuned for all the info through the official IBC World Tour website and social media:

www.ibcworldtour.com

Fotógrafos: @ramankamaldeen / @h.u.m.a.i.d.h / @witteyy

Visit Maldives Pro 2024 – Sponsors and Partners

@visitmaldives – Title Sponsor | Official Destination Partner in association with @mosfrmv Digital Partner @dhiraagu Accommodation Partner @mookai.hotel Catering Partner @buruzucatering Online Media Partner @oneonlinemv Event Partner @officialeventsmv Apparel Partner @kingsports_mv Printing Partner @printlabmv Merchandise Partner @mujasartbox

Supporting Partner: @thewellnessclub.mv @dtech_maldives @malecity.mv @mndf_official @policemv

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