Marcelo Faundes is the champion of the 2024 Arica Cultura Bodyboard by Pride Bodyboards!
The Chilean bodyboarder was on fire during the weekend and as a result became one of the riders with his name recorded in the history of the Arica’s international event that, as you are well aware, is run in one of the most intense and incredible waves of the bodyboarding world.
The passion and amazing technique presented by Marcelo, and his connection with the sea, made him the best rider in the powerful waves of El Flopos. He overcame every heat, every challenge, with the mastery of a true champion.
In the final, Faundes beat another Chilean international rider, due to a priority interference made by Matías Diaz in the last 20 seconds of the heat. Until the interference occur, Matías was leading the heat by comfortable margin, but a change on the priority in the last dying minute left Diaz to make the mistake.
One last note just to inform that Hawaiian Mike Stewart, age 61, and Rodrigo Silva, a young local rider from Flopos, went to the semis and placed equal third in the event.
Time to check the highlights from the final day, and congratulations to Marcelo for the win and also a huge thank you for the Arica community for bringing back suck an iconic event for bodyboarders!
See you next year!