The wait worth it! After six lay days , Itacoatiara Pro finally restarted with classic conditions in the first day of main event. With waves of 6-8 feet (2.0 to 2.5 meters), sunny winds, sun and a full beach, what was seen were the best conditions in the seven-year history of the championship which featured the new format of competition. After two complete rounds the classification follows very tight and has a leader which is the 2 x world champion and Itacoatiara Pro, Amaury Lavernhe (Reunion Island), with 25 points from his three best waves.
“Today was a very good day of waves and very intense. I managed to find good waves in both heats and I’m already well positioned on the leaderboard, but that does not mean much. In Arica I experienced a similar situation and ended up eliminated in Round 4, so you need to stay focused all the time. This new format is interesting, but it is new. It is necessary to change the thoughts in the head to adapt and sometimes it may seem difficult. It is very cool to surf here in Itacoatiara, because it is the place that brings together the largest bodyboarding community in Brazil and see the crowded beach so it is motivating “, said Amaury Lavernhe, who added 8.75, 8.50 and 7.75 in his three best waves.
Just behind Amaury comes Tristan Roberts. Champion of two World Tour events already in 2018, Port Alfred (South Africa) and Antofagasta (Chile), the South African has a lot of confidence in the Itacoatiara Pro. “Surely that is the best way to start the championship. I tried to get the best waves throughout the heats. My strategy was not to stay in the same place all the time and it worked out. I think I need just one more good score to get saved and I want to continue having fun and looking for the best waves. The new format fits in well and the judges are doing a great job, we have nothing to worry about”, Tristan Roberts said shortly after his first heat.
Pierre-Louis Costes was also one of the best riders today. With two good waves on the leaderboard, the Frenchman is in fourth position and has a low score that he intends to improve in the next round on Monday. “I think this format may be a bit unfair on the beaches where sea conditions vary greatly throughout the day, but at the same time it will push the limit of other athletes, especially those who are in need of more scores in the last round. Today was proof of that. I did poorly in the first heat but managed to reverse my situation well with two good waves in the second round of the day. I have a low score i still need to improve on, “said Pierre-Louis Costes.
At the end of the first day of the main event, only two Brazilians are among the 16 qualifiers for the Round 4. Socrates Santana (5th) and Uri Valadão (10th) are the two bodyboarders in the country who would be guaranteed to qualify into top 16 cut if it ended now. However, the new format allows competitors to have three chances and on Monday athletes who are not in the top 16 will have another opportunity to exchange scores. Dudu Pedra (18th), Isaias Ravyc (20th), Eder Luciano (21st), João Zik (23rd), Roberto Bruno (25th) David Barbosa (27th), Adejaldo Silva (29th) and Hugo Medeiros .
“I managed to find good waves, especially in the second heat and I have a reasonable score at the moment. I know a lot can change so I will not settle and the goal is to keep on getting better scores. This format demands this, “explains Socrates Santana, best Brazilian so far.
Leaderboard after Round 2:
1º Amaury Lavernhe (Ilha Reunião) – 8,75 + 8,50 + 7,75 – 25,00
2º Tristan Roberts (África do Sul) – 8,50 + 7,25 + 7,00 – 22,75
3º Iain Campbell (África do Sul) – 7,75 + 7,50 + 6,50 – 21,75
4º Pierre-Louis Costes (França) – 8,75 + 7,25 + 5,40 – 21,40
5º Sócrates Santana (Brasil) – 8,50 + 7,75 + 4,75 – 21,00
6º Tanner McDaniel (Havaí) – 7,25 + 6,85 + 6,75 – 20,85
7º Maxime Castillo (França) – 8,50 + 6,50 + 5,75 – 20,75
8º George Humphries (Austrália) – 8,00 + 7,00 + 5,75 – 20,75
9º Lachlam Cramsie (Austrália) – 6,65 + 6,25 + 6,25 – 19,15
10º Uri Valadão (Brasil) – 6,60 + 6,50 + 5,50 – 19,15
11º Jacob Romero (Havaí) – 7,25 + 6,00 + 5,25 – 18,50
12º Mack Crilley (Havaí) – 6,40 + 6,00 + 5,80 – 18,20
13º Dino Carmo (Portugal) – 6,25 + 6,25 + 5,65 – 18,15
14º António Cardoso (Portugal) – 6,60 + 6,00 + 5,50 – 18,10
15º Jared Houston (África do Sul) – 6,35 + 6,00 + 5,75 – 18,10
16º Patrick Orr (Havaí) – 6,50 + 5,75 + 5,65 – 17,90
Fotografia: Tony D´Andrea/Itacoatiara Pro
