From October 17th to 31st, the waters off Gáldar in Gran Canaria, Spain, will once again become the epicenter of international bodyboarding as it hosts the 2026 Gran Canaria Frontón King. Marking its 14th edition, this event is the grand finale of the world tour on one of the heaviest, most demanding, and feared waves on the planet: El Frontón. The event will serve as the ultimate battleground to crown the Men’s and Junior Men’s World Champions.

MEN’S WORLD TITLE ($35,000 USD / 5,000 points)

Reigning world champion Uri Valadão from Brazil returns to Gran Canaria to defend his crown on the biggest stage of 2026. Sitting at the top of the current rankings is South Africa’s Tristan Roberts, who is just one step away from locking in world glory. Roberts only needs to finish his first heat to officially seal the title.

However, the event format keeps the suspense high: as a Top 16 rider, Roberts won’t hit the water until the Main Event, typically on day three or four of competition, after the initial field of 82 riders is trimmed down to 32 finalists. Until then, championship tension will be hanging thick over the Gáldar coast.

Waiting to capitalize on any slip-up are global powerhouses like Pierre-Louis Costes, Amaury Lavernhe, and local Canarian favorite Armide Soliveres. Meanwhile, the rest of the international fleet will be locked in a high-intensity battle to lock down a spot in the Top 16, which guarantees direct qualification into the Main Event for the 2027 season. All of this comes with the added prestige of being named “King of Frontón”, a feat reserved for a very select elite in professional bodyboarding.

JUNIOR MEN’S FINAL GATHERS TOP PROSPECTS FROM 11 NATIONS ($10,000 USD / 1,000 points)

The Junior Men’s Division reaches its climax after an international qualifying tour featuring Rising Series events in Australia, Morocco, Peru, Mexico, the Maldives, and Spain. A 48-rider field (averaging eight qualifiers per event) will battle it out in the grand final for the 2026 Junior Men’s World Champion crown.

France’s Louka Zaninotto is heading in to defend his world title among a stacked field that already has 42 confirmed spots.

The event brings together the next generation of global bodyboarding talent, featuring competitors from 11 countries across 5 continents: Australia, Peru, the United States, the Maldives, Chile, Mexico, Spain, France, Brazil, Morocco, and Portugal (Vicente Campos, and Matias Baço).

The Junior Men’s Rising Series was created by the IBC primarily to:

    • Cut down on long-distance travel for younger athletes throughout the year;
    • Keep competition costs down;
    • Allow riders to stay focused on their schoolwork.

* The technical committee will pick the 6 best swell days for competition.