Antofagasta, Chile – May 9, 2026
SEMIFINALS LOCKED IN AT LA NILDA
The Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival (ABF) just made history on day seven of the competition. With conditions absolutely firing, the Men Prime Series put on a masterclass of deep barrels and high-level maneuvers, clocking the highest scores of the entire event. After a heart-pounding day at the “La Nilda” challenge, the semifinalists are set to battle for glory tomorrow on the final day.
ROUND 6: MEN PRIME SERIES
The action kicked off with Round 6, where athletes fought for a spot in the Top 8. The man-on-man matchups turned up the heat in every single heat:
• The Champ Moves On: Armide Soliveres (Canary Islands), the 2024 World Champ, edged out local wildcard Matías Díaz in a super tight heat.
• Mexican Surprise: Kalani Favela (Mexico) blew everyone away with a deep tube followed by an air rollo, scoring a 9.80 and a 17.30 total to knock out Morocco’s Brahim Iddouch.
• Clash of the Titans: Current world #1 Tristan Roberts (South Africa) was totally in sync with La Nilda, posting a 16.50 to take down the legendary reigning World Champ, Uri Valadão (Brazil).
• Young Gun: Chile’s own 16-year-old Cristóbal Tobar bowed out with honors after losing to the veteran Moisés Silva, ending a historic run that put him in the global Top 16.
“THE FINAL CAME EARLY”: THE BATTLE OF THE PERFECT 10s
The peak of the day went down in Heat 7 of Round 6 between Amaury Lavernhe and Pierre-Louis Costes. In what many called a “final came early,” both athletes reached perfection:
• Lavernhe snagged the first 10 of the event with a massive barrel, totaling 19.60.
• Costes fired back with another 10 after a masterclass tube-to-backflip combo, finishing with a 17.50. Despite Pierre’s heroic effort, Lavernhe moved forward with the highest scores of the festival so far.
QUARTERFINALS: THE TOP 8 AT LA NILDA
With the reef pumping out its best waves, the semifinalists were decided:
1 Ethan Capdeville (France): Pulled off a massive upset by knocking out Armide Soliveres with a solid 14.65 total.
2 Tristan Roberts (South Africa): Confirmed why he’s the man to beat, eliminating Mexican breakout star Kalani Favela with a strong 17.50.
3 Moisés Silva (Chile): The veteran rider locked in a podium spot for the host country after beating Brazil’s Eder Luciano, becoming the last Chilean standing in the comp.
4 Amaury Lavernhe (France): Kept his unstoppable streak alive by defeating fellow countryman Yann Salaun.
FINAL DAY: CROWNING A CHAMP IN ANTOFAGASTA
Tomorrow, Sunday, May 10th, marks the grand finale of ABF 2026. Not only will we crown the new Antofagasta champ, but we’ll also witness one of the most exciting moments of the tour: crowning the new DropKnee World Champion.
The IBC World Tour invites the global community to catch the end of this epic show via our live stream.
Watch it live at: www.ibcworldtour.com
Main sponsors: Escondida | BHP Ilustre Municipalidad de Antofagasta
In collaboration with: Colbún, Antofagasta Minerals, Fundación Cultural Turismo Sustentable, PERI Chile, Red Bull, Carnicería Arauco, Abastible, Transportes Laury, Cool Construcciones modulares, JetSmart, Hotel RK Antofagasta, Aguas Antofagasta, Ruta 1 Restaurant, Mirador Sangucheria, Costa Club Antofagasta, SDF, Service IT.
Media partners: El Mercurio de Antofagasta, Antofagasta Televisión, Diario AS Chile, FM 7, El Regionalista diario, Antofa despierta, Puro Surf Chile, Latin Wave, Cura3Puntas, Región 2, Escena Surfera.
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