The 2024 Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival ended during the weekend with the finals of the Pro Men, Pro Women, Pro Junior Men and Dropknee divisions (results of the Pro Junior Women here).
For the first time in the ABF event, a Chilean rider, Moisés Silva, from the international Pride Bodyboards team, has won the Pro Men’s division. In the final, Moisés beat Brazilian Sócrates Santana by 16,25 x 15,35 points, pointing as well the best wave score of the heat – 9,25 points.
By placing 3rd in the event, Gabriel Braga from Brazil is now the world ranking leader, with 6223 points, followed by South African Tristan Roberts, with 5750 points, and Armide Soliveres, from Canary Islands, with 5723 points.
In the ladies, Maíra Viana, from Brazil, was the best competitor and came up on top of the podium, leaving Yuka Nishimura, from Japan, in second place (14,35 x 14,25 points). The Brazilian made the difference by scoring the best wave of the final heat – 8,25 points.
According to the IBC officials, Maíra Viana leads now the world ranking followed by other two Brazilians, Luna Hardman and Maylla Venturin, in 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Spanish young talent, Unax Pascual, from the youth Pride Bodyboards team (read more here), won the Men’s Pro Junior division. It was Unax’s first victory in the career in the IBC. In the final he beat the Chilean bodyboarder Esteben Godoy, with a total score of 14,50 versus 8,50 points.
Alexander Montes, from the Canary Islands, is leading de Junior rankings, followed by Mikelle Arriagada (Chile), in second, and Esteben Godoy (Chile), in third.
Hawaiians Dave Hubbard (10x world champ) and Sammy Morretino competed against each other for the Dropknee World Title. The winner would come out from the best result out of three heats, which meant whoever won two heats first would take the World Title to Hawaii (again).
Sammy won the first heat of the final (13,75 x 13,65 pts), and Dave Hubbard, with two 9-point rides, won the second heat (18,00 x 17,40 pts) in great fashion. On the third and last heat, nerves were high, but Sammy had a better wave selection and overall performance, scoring in the end 15,64 points, leaving Dave in second with a total of 14,15 points.
This means Sammy Morretino won the contest (2 heats against 1) and is now a 5x Dropknee World Champion. Congrats buddy!
Next event is the 5th stop of the IBC World Tour, the Itacoatiara Pro, in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 1 to 10th (Pro Men’s only). Stay tuned for more. xxx