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The World’s Best Bodyboarders, From The 13 Participating Countries Put On A Great Show In Front Of Thousands Of Local Spectators
France’s Amaury Laverhne was one of the standouts of the Day 1 of ISA World Bodyboard Championship, earning an impressive 16.33 total heat score to advance to the next round. Photo: ISA/Rommel Gonzales
South Africa’s Iain Campbell earned the highest total heat score of 16.50, and single wave score, 9.33, of the day. Photo: ISA/Gonzalo Muñoz
The first day of competition of the 2014 ISA World Bodyboard Championship got began with solid waves at the world-class break at Punta 1, Iquique, on Sunday, December 7. Amazing performances were showcased by the world’s best bodyboarders representing 13 countries from around the globe.
The thousands of warm and welcoming people of Iquique witnessed a great show put on by the athletes in great conditions. Punta 1 featured waves in the 3-5ft range with some bigger sets on offer. The bodyboarders displayed powerful and critical maneuvers that kept the local crowd cheering on their feet.
“The world’s best bodyboarders have gathered in beautiful Iquique, Chile, and on the first day of competition, were able to demonstrate their incredible skills to all the local spectators, plus the thousands of people around the world that tuned in on the live webcast,” remarked ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “The waves are only going to get bigger and better so everyone is in for an incredible week of competition. I wish the best of luck to all of the competitors.”
The opening day of competition featured Round 1 of Open Men’s Main Event.
The standout of the day was South Africa’s Iain Campbell, who showed an impressive display of radical bodyboarding in the waves of Punta 1, earning the highest scores of the event so far.
Campbell had a slow start, with low scoring rides, but in the last minutes of the heat, the South African found the right position and earned a 7.17, and seconds before the final horn, backed it up with an impressive 9.33, for a total heat score of 16.50. Campbell defeated Venezuela’s Alberto Colucci (11.50) and Puerto Rico’s Javier Cruzado (4.40).
Other high scoring standouts of Day 1 of the ISA World Bodyboard Championship were France’s Amaury Laverhne , who earned the second highest total heat score of the day, 16.33, the local favorite Gabriel Brantes, who earned a 14.83 and South Africa’s Storm Prestwich, with a 14.34.
The local hero, Gabriel Brantes, kept all the locals on their feet and cheering after catching one of the best waves of the day. Photo: ISA/Rommel Gonzales
The ISA World Bodyboard Championship is a double elimination competition, with the first and second place bodyboarders always advance to the next Qualifying Round. Athletes in third and fourth place move into the Repechage Round, giving them a second chance to advance. However, another third or fourth place finish, and they will be out of the competition
For a full list of today’s results, click here: http://isaworlds.com/bodyboarding/2014/results/ The 2014 ISA World Bodyboard Championship resumes Monday at 9:00am (local time) in Iquique, Chile. Conditions are expected to improve with the size of the waves increasing to 4-6ft with occasional larger sets.
Competition will feature:
9:00am Open Men’s – Main Event 2
11:00am Open Women’s – Main Event 1
12:00pm Junior U-18 Boys – Main Event 1
1:00pm Junior U-18 Girls – Main Event 1
The live webcast of the entire 2014 ISA World Bodyboard Championship is available on www.isawbc.com