1– 12 August 2007
Sponsors: Ilustre Municipalidad de Arica, Mike Stewart "Science" Bodyboards, Inacap, NoFriend Clothing, Corporacion del Desarrollo de Arica, Soho Discoteque, Aletas Stealth, Telefonica, Soho Discoteque and Panamericana Hotel.
HISTORY
This event started for its first time in June 2004 and Ryan Hardy won the contest. Then in October 2005 Jeff Hubbard won the contest. During 2006, the last 30 seconds of the last heat Jeff became the winner of the Arica Chilean Challenge again.
This year the weather has been colder than other years (16 grades Celsius), we suggest to use a 4/3mm wetsuit. Also bring jacket or sweaters to don't get cold during the morning and wind jacket.
THE SPOT
Known as "El Gringo" but it called "FLOPOS" by the locals. Be careful if any local heard you calling the spot EL Gringo, they don't like too much that name. It is located in the south side of the Ex-Isla Alacrán, situated in Arica city, the first city of Chile. This wave has a lot of power, and breaks left and right with a gnarly bottom reef. The left is very strong and hold swell up to 4 meters, depending the direction of the swell, the wind and the height of the swell, it is consistent and rideable starting at 7am to midday, until the wind comes. The right is less consistent but hold bigger swells than the left.
These are the descriptions from the last 2 champions of the contest:
Ryan Hardy: "A powerful and perfect left and right peak that barrels and wraps both ways, ending dangerously close to rocks. The left and right breaks as a perfect long peak up to 8 feet and above 10feet the left begins to close-out and the right turns into a sunset style powerful peak with hollow inside sections. El Gringo is a perfect, high-performance bodyboard wave offering deep barrels and huge ramps on both lefts and rights with the danger factor of a super-shallow barnacle-covered gnarly rock bottom that has claimed countless victims! El Gringo is sick!!!"
Jeff Hubbard: "Flopos is one of the best venues for a bodyboard contest that I have scene. The break is close enough to the spectators to allow them to be able to see and feel the excitement of the waves and riders as they compete over a very shallow and sharp lava reef. The reef at Flopos is very special as it allows the waves to break both right and left with equal power the lefts and rights are very shallow with heavy barrel sections and thick lips that allow bodyboarders to do all types of crowd pleasing aerial maneuvers. Flopos is located on Chiles rugged west coast which is open to the southern hemispheres most powerful storms. Flopos amazing consistency provides a great opportunity for the surf to get quite large during the 10 day waiting period, which will make for some extreme bodyboarding from the worlds best riders".
THE PLACE
Arica is the first city of Chile and limited with Peru and Bolivia, it has a nice weather with temperatures of 15 to 20 Celsius degrees during the winter, never rain and it has a desert climate. The local money is Peso and the change rate is $ 545 per US Dollar.
There are 2 ways to come to Arica:
1) From Lima (Perú). From Lima to Tacna (Peruvian border city), air ticket cost around US$ 160 round trip, bus ticket around US$ 40 round trip. Then you can take a taxi from Tacna to Arica with a cost US$ 4.
2) From Santiago, capital of Chile. From Santiago to Arica, air ticket cost around US$ 200 (www.lanchile.com or Sky Airlines), bus ticket cost US$ 90 round trip.
The local money is El peso and the change rate is $ 530 per US Dollar.
The Ilustre Municipalidad de Arica invite to the best bodyboarder of south America and the world, in special to the Chilean bodyboarders, to compete in the best contest have been made it in the history of our country, in one of the best radical waves and intimacy of Chile and world class wave, "El Gringo, known by the locals like Flopos.
The contest will be transmitted a live by internet at www.municipalidaddearica.cl
The event will have 1100 points for the world tour and 1500 points for the Latin American tour.
The Prizemoney will be US$ 20000
The entry fee will cost US$ 130 Chilean riders y US$ 200 for international riders.
Place to pay the entry fee: Comercial El Morro, local 96, street Colón intersection with 18 de septiembre. Or by paypal or by wire transfer contact to: [email protected] , cell phone (08) 889-9045.
ACCOMODATIONS
HOTEL PANAMERICANA, OFFICIAL HOTEL OF THE EVENT
Hotel Arica Resort, 4 stars, is where will be the organization room of the event, it has special rooms for press and internet connection. It is close to El Laucho beach, and it has beautiful view of one of the biggest wave in Chile, called "El Buey" and you can see the barrel of the right of El Gringo.
Everyone who stay at the hotel will have transportation from the airport to the hotel and to the spot. From the hotel to EL Gringo is 3 minutes by car and 10 minutes by walking. The prices for competitors will be:
Bungalows:
1 Person US$ 65
2 People US$ 85
3 People US$ 105
4 People US$ 80
The price no include tax. This include buffet breakfast since 7am to 10:30am
Please do reservation saying that you are coming for bodyboard event or Tomate's event, so you will have those prices.
For more information
Panamericana Hotel & Resort
Hotel Arica Resort
RESERVATION AT:
Av. Comandante San Martin N°599,
Tel: +56 58 254-540
Fax: +56 58 231-133 [email protected]
www.panamericanahoteles.cl
Other cheap alternative:
Residencial AricaSurfHouse.
Dirección: O'Higgins #661.
Contacto: Kurt Hertrampf.
Email: [email protected]
Valor: $ 3500 (US$ 7) por persona.
This include free internet connection.
Available kitchen.
For more information about the contest or anything else, please contact to:
