The Gran Canaria local defeats four-time event winner Amaury Lavernhe in a thrilling final, while Tenerife-raised Damiano Bonazzi claims the Junior World Championship.

Local bodyboarder Armide Soliveres claimed his first Gran Canaria Frontón King title last week, defeating four-time event champion Amaury Lavernhe by just 0.25 points in a thrilling final, as waves reached 3 metres on an extraordinary final day of competition.

The 2024 World Champion secured victory with a combined score of 15.25 versus 15.00 points, completing a remarkable journey through one of the most demanding waves on the international bodyboarding tour.

Soliveres had never previously reached the podium at El Frontón, making his maiden victory particularly meaningful. Competing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, he overcame some of the sport’s biggest names to claim one of bodyboarding’s most prestigious event titles.

His most dramatic moment came in the semifinals against newly crowned three-time World Champion Tristan Roberts. With only seconds remaining, Soliveres needed a 5.85 point wave to take the lead. He delivered a 6.25 ride, overturning the result and eliminating the South African by 14.25 to 13.85.

The comeback sent the crowd into celebration and secured Soliveres a place in his first Frontón King final.

In the other semifinal, Amaury Lavernhe, who now competes under the Spanish flag, defeated French prince Pierre-Louis Costes by 17.00 to 16.25 points.

The final was equally close. Soliveres posted scores of 8.50 and 6.75, while Moz responded with 7.75 and 7.25, leaving just a quarter of a point between the two.

Following his victory, Soliveres explained that he had tried to follow the example of riders he considers his role models at El Frontón, including PLC, Tristan Roberts and Amaury Lavernhe: approaching every wave with total commitment. He also spoke about his determination to keep improving and his happiness at finally winning the event.

Although his campaign ended in the semifinals, South Africa’s Tristan Roberts produced some of the most spectacular bodyboarding of the championship.

The newly crowned 2026 World Champion, who secured his third senior world title earlier in the event, recorded an outstanding 19.65 points out of 20 in his quarterfinal against Brazilian Gabriel Braga.

T-Rob also landed a 9.50-point air reverse during Round 7 and ultimately won the Red Bull Banana Challenge, awarded for the event’s best manoeuvre, with a spectacular backflip performed on the final day.

The South African, who previously won the Frontón King in 2019 and 2024, said he was enjoying the conditions so much that he did not want to hear the horn signalling the end of his heats.

Damiano Bonazzi crowned Junior World Champion

The Junior World Championship was decided in another closely contested final, with Italian rider Damiano Bonazzi, who grew up and developed his bodyboarding career in Tenerife, defeating Hawaiian Davey Anderson (16.75 to 15.40 pts).

The lead changed hands more than four times as both competitors pushed their limits in powerful surf. Bonazzi eventually secured victory with scores of 9.00 and 7.75, claiming the world title in his final season as a junior.

The victory was particularly emotional for Bonazzi, who said he had been pursuing the dream of reaching the top of the sport since he began bodyboarding ten years ago.

Members of his Tenerife bodyboarding school travelled overnight, leaving at around 3 a.m. to catch the first ferry to Gran Canaria and support him during the final.

Bonazzi had previously eliminated defending Junior World Champion Louka Zaninotto in the semifinals, reversing the outcome of their semifinal encounter in 2025.

The final day produced big and challenging waves, spectacular aerial manoeuvres and deep barrels, drawing repeated standing ovations from spectators.

The championship concluded with the traditional awards ceremony and the presentation of the iconic bunch of Canary Islands bananas, one of the event’s most recognisable traditions.

The 2026 Gran Canaria Frontón King crowned Tristan Roberts as Men’s World Champion, Damiano Bonazzi as Junior World Champion and Armide Soliveres as the new King of El Frontón. xxx