Day four at Confital and despite the smaller swell the action was larger than life with some serious first-class bodyboarding.
We all rocked up at first light and for the fist time in the events history it wasn't epic with pint-sized peelers rolling along the famed reef.
Two feet sets and a long wait between the winning waves was the call but with such a massive roll up of competitors it was the old adage of "The show must go on".
Making the right manoeuvre decisions and maintaining valuable momentum into the next move was critical and the experienced campaigners all shined through.
The day started with the DK crew and from the outset these guys meant business.
The IBA are really keen to develop the DKWT (Drop Knee World Tour) and the competitors were all just stoked that the movement has begun.
After R1, the quarters and semis the final is as follows.
Ardiel Jiminez (Cny), Dave Hubbard (Hawaii), Jeff Hubbard (Hawaii) and Dave Winchester (Aust) will all line up for what should be an awesome final.
Only the final placing will determine who will be the IBA DKWT Champ for 2008.
To finish off the day the quarter finals of the women hit the water in front of a big crowd and a rising tide helped create some really contestable conditions.
In the first quarter Lumar Guittard (VNZ) and Rita Pires (Port) were left only the scraps as Jessica Becker (Brz) and Eunate Aguirre (Spn) took set after set and went 1-2 into the semis.
Quarter 2 and with the pressure of Becker making the semis Neymara Carvalho (Brz) started shakey and seemed to be falling behind at the half way mark.
That was until a two wave combo brought back the champion and she finished in front of Natasha Sargardia (Prc) with Luz Marie Grande' Perez (Prc) and Emma Roby eliminated.
The last heat of the day was dominated by the Australian dynamic duo of Lilly Pollard and Emma Cobb. Both girls produced strong combinations to send former World champion Marina Taylor (Cny) and Chiaki Okuyama (Jpn) packing.
In the end it was another great day hanging out with the worlds best at one of the most professional setups in IBA history. Hats off to Maldito Rodriguez. These guys are first-rate promoters and know how to deliver a slick show.
