KEIKI

After an amazing season in 2011, the crew at IBA is planning for a bigger and better tour in 2012. The season opener will again be in February at the Pipeline Pro, from February 10^thto 25^th, where the Men, Women and Dropknee riders will lay the platform for their campaigns, with maximum Grand Slam points up for grabs. This year Pipe will include an extra day of competition, which will expand the field for both the DK & Women’s events.

From there, the Dropknee World Tour heads to Peru for the second Grand Slam event of the year from March 1^st to 4^th. Jose Ugarte and his Peruvian team have moved the event forward in hope of better conditions. The Peruvian event is solely for dropknee with $15,000 up for grabs. “Our main focus is to attract the worlds best DK riders and to give them the contest they deserve”, said Ugarte.

March sees the world’s best riders return to the wild west of Australia for the Grand Slam Series’ Box Pro, from March 26^th to April 4^th, with the infamous Box and Gas Bay the setting for what will be an awesome showdown. After last year’s crazy final action, the anticipation is high for another epic event.

The Women’s World Tour hits Reunion Island from March 7^th to 9^th, for the Manapany Surf & Music Festival. This is a stand-alone event for the girls and after the success of the Men’s event in 2011, the girls are pumped!

A new addition to the tour, the Port Macquarie Bodyboarding Festival, will take place from April 14^th to 23^rd, rolling off the back of the Box event. This new event will feature a Grand Slam for both Women and DK, as well as the first of the 6 Star Global Qualifying Seriesevents, which will be supported by a host of sideline Teams challenges.

May and June are busy months for South America, starting with Antofargasta, a 6 Star GQSevent in Chile from May 9^th to 13^th, in Chile kicking off a 4-event leg, followed by the Arica Chilean Challenge a Grand Slam Series event from May 18^th to the 27^th.

The La Cosa Pro in Iqueque from May 30^th to June 5^th, will play host to the GQS and bridge the gap to the newest GSS event in Itacoatiara, Brazil from June 7^th to 16^th.

During late June and July, the tour breaks to hold out for epic conditions at IBA Specialty event at Shark Island in Cronulla.

The second semester launches in August at the Zicatela Pro August 1^st to 11^th. Expectations are high and the stage is set after the high-octane performances at Puerto Escondido this year.

Late August the tour heads to Europe for the 6 Star Ferrol Pro from August16th to19^th and the Sintra Portugal Pro from August 25^th to September 2^nd.  Sintra, which a Women’s World Tour, Grand Slam Series and Dropknee World Tour event, has been extended by two days this year to allow for the best possible conditions.

From Europe, the tour heads across the Atlantic to New Jersey on the east coast of the United States for the Jenks Pro, a stand-alone 6 Star GQS event and possibly a Grand Slam dropknee event, from September 4^th to 10^th.

October will bring the Bodyboard Pro Festival, a stand-alone one star WWT, DKWT and GQS event from October 27^th to 30^th in Venezuela and the Puerto Rico Pro a Grand Slam event for the Women’s, Dropknee and Men’s world tours from November 2^nd to 13^th at Middles. The then rolls through Azores for a stand-alone one star Women’ World Tour and Global Qualifying Series event from November 28^th to December 2^nd. And finally onto theCanary Islands for the last Grand Slam Series event, from December 6^th to 17^th.

It’s another massive year of action for both the fans and the riders, most notably the inclusion of the new event in Brazil in June. It’s been a few years since the IBA staged a full-blown Grand Slam Series event in Brazil and Itacoatiara is a perfect spot- close to Rio, with a large fraternity of enthusiastic bodyboarders.

The IBA are making structural changes to the competition format which, will be announced shortly. IBA World Tour Manager, Terry McKenna, is ecstatic about the year ahead. “IBA set a great foundation last year that we can build off in 2012. We have fresh faces, some new venues and I believe that we are going to see the sport really boom off the back of our new TV series. Its exciting times ahead for all. This is the new Dream Tour”, he said.

 The Encanto Pro Puerto Rico is over.

Dave Hubbard from Hawaii showed his versatility on a bodyboard when he won the dropknee final against new world champion Damian King and came second to Frenchman Pierre-Louis Costes in the men’s final at the Encanto Pro Puerto Rico today.Had he won he would have become the first person to win two divisions in the same event.

With less than 30 seconds left in the final the Frenchman still needed a good scoring wave to win, in the hollow four to six foot conditions. A wave came his way and he gave it his all, landing two back flips in a row and getting the score. His friends carried him on their shoulders to the presentation area where he celebrated his first Grand Slam Series win in front of the cheering crowd. “It feels amazing, it’s my first grand slam victory. I’ve been waiting for this one for a while. If you don’t win you’re never happy and I finally got that feeling” said Pierre-Louis Costes.

Before she surfed in the final, Lilly Pollard from Gerringong in New South Wales Australia told current Women’s World Tour leader Eunate Aguirre, she would win the event for her. A win would stop her nearest rival, other finalist and reigning world champion Brazilian Isabela Sousa, closing the gap between them in their title race. The Brazilian could not find the form she had in her semi-final performance, where she scored a perfect ten, was left in a combination situation at the end of the final.

Pollard’s experience of riding the heavy reefs around her hometown helped her to victory as she rode two barrels, rolling out of the one, flawlessly. “After seeing Isabela’s heat yesterday I knew it was going to be a challenge”, said Pollard after the final.

Both Men’s and Women’s World Tour titles will be decided at the final event of each respective tour; the Men’s in the Canary Islands and the Women’s in the Azores. Pierre-Louis Costes has leapfrogged up the rankings to second and 300 points behind tour leader Jeff Hubbard while Pollard’s win has pushed her into third position on the WWT and Aguirre has maintained a 379 points lead on Sousa.

After consulting with the head judge and riders, the event organisers have decided to put the contest on hold until tomorrow.
Next call will be tomorrow.

Check out the Day 5 highlights:

Damian King, from Port Macquirie in New South Wales, Australia made history on day five of the Encanto Pro Puerto Rico today, when he became the first person to be a dropknee and prone world champion. King was carried on the shoulders of his Australian friends to the competitors area. 
Ardiel Jimenez from the Canary Islands, the man Damian King had to beat to become world champion, walked over and congratulated him on his win. Damian’s father in-law, Jimmy, handed him a beer before King walked on stage to receive his trophy. Visibly emotional, Damian King thanked his father in-law for all his support and the crowd for being so great .

Puerto Rican, Natasha Sagardia, caused two major upsets in today’s Women’s World Tour round four and quarterfinal heats. Natasha beat world numbers one and two, Eunate Aguirre from the Basque Country and Brazilian Neymara Carvalho, while her mother cheered for her from the beach. Sagardia’s win over Aguirre means the WWT title race will be decided in the Azores Islands, the final stop on the WWT.
Australian Women’s Tour champion Lily Pollard will face Natasha Sagardia in the semi-finals. The other semi is between Brazilians, Karla Costa-Taylor and Isabela Sousa. Former dropknee world champions, Cesar Bauer from Peru and Dave Hubbard from Hawaii are through to the DKWT semi-finals along with Reunion Islander, Amaury Lavernhe.