Riptide Magazine

Day Four of the ISA Games

Eduardo mobbed by the Spanish media after his win.
Photo // Danny Bycroft.

Day Four ISA World Bodyboarding Championships
Because of their early exits yesterday no members of TravelSim Team Australia were in action on day four of the ISA World Bodyboarding Games. Instead it was left to the 23 other nations competing here in Galdar, Gran Canaria to put on a show and that they certainly did.

La Guancha was once again the location for the semi finals and finals of the women's, junior men's and DK divisions.

The women's final was completely dominated by Brazilian big gun Isabela Souza. With huge ARSs over shallow sections and stylish powerful riding she showed the crowd why she only narrowly missed out of this years IBA women's world title. Upon her victory there were salsas all round as team Brazil celebrated her victory in the style that only Brazilians know how! The capirinhas will be flowing into the night...

Women's Champion - Brazillian Isabella Sousa.
Photo // Sportszone.

The junior semi final was the battle royal the crowd had been waiting for. The final was between Spain, Chile, Morocco and believe it or not Germany! Spanish competitor Eduardo Rodriguez opened the heat the same way he had all of his others during this competition with powerful combinations using the full breadth of his local knowledge to read the waves. When victory seemed to be slipping away Moroccan mad man Anass Haddar went left back into the wedge at the predominantly right hand La Guacha and boosted the funkiest looping backflip-ish maneuver that left the crowd in silence. No one even knew what to call the huge air let alone how to score it. Eventually judges locked in an 8.5 which put the North African into the lead. However the cool calm and collected Rodriguez showed maturity beyond his years and quietly went about chipping away at the Moroccans score in the final minutes showing the crowd his sponsor stickers with a huge backflip to seal victory for Spain. This guy is the complete package and will cause some real surprises if he if successful through the trials and into the main Fronton IBA event.

Junior Men's Champion - Spainard Eduardo Rodriguez.
Photo // Sportszone.

The DK final was another tight affair. After falling victim to a double interference in an earlier heat with Amaury Lavernhe, local legend Ardiel Jimenez took early control of the heat. South African surprise package Dylan Van Tonder fought back with smooth cutbacks and some powerful down the line speed trims. However the old head and competition nous of Jiminez was enough to hold off a late South African charge and the Spaniard prevailed as the victor.

Drop Knee Champion - Canary Islander/Spainard Ardiel Jimenez.
Photo // Sportszone.

Official positions of the Australian were Aaron Glossop equal 17th, Nicole Fleming 8th and George Humphreys equal 13th.

Competition moves to El Fronton tomorrow morning where open men Joey Orme and Lachlan Cramsie will be in the fight of their lives through big heaving waves and the repecharge rounds.