ROOKIES OF THE YEAR FOR THE IBC WORLD TOUR 2024

LUANA DOURADO shares how she feels about receiving this recognition and gives us a recap of her season:

I am very happy and honored to receive the Rookie of the Year award. This recognition represents a milestone in my bodyboard career and is a great incentive to continue to dedicate myself and evolve. I am really grateful for all the support I received and for this opportunity to show my work. My trajectory so far has been a path of a lot of learning, dedication and also sacrifices. Although bodyboarding is a more individual sport, in every victory or challenge at sea there are many people who contributed to me getting here – from my club, my coaches, my sponsors to my family, who have always given me unconditional support. I think this award is from all of us and is proof that all the effort and hours of training were worth it. The circuit was fantastic, it had many special moments, but I think the most striking for me was Wahine, competing in a heat with two bodyboard legends, two idols, Sari Ohara and Neymara Carvalho. It was a situation that challenged me a lot and where I managed to overcome myself, which made me realize that I was on the right track.” With the results I obtained and with this award, I feel even more willing to continue to grow and seek new achievements. Next year I really wanted to be able to compete on the entire world circuit, work to improve every detail and continue learning. My goal is to evolve technically and become mentally stronger to face even greater challenges. This award came to confirm my beliefs and give more strength to never give up on dreams. It takes a lot of determination, but with passion and dedication, the achievements end up happening. I want to continue enjoying each wave, living and meeting new people, but above all having fun with this sport.

JAI TAYLOR tells us how thrilled he is to receive the Rookie of the Year award and gives us a summary of his season: