El Confital takes shape ...
Source: www.ibaworldtour.com
posted by Terry McKenna on 2nd December 2007
The 2007 IBA World Bodyboarding event at El Confital in Gran Canaria is slowly but surely taking shape.
9 Times World Champion and living legend Mike Stewart is really impressed with the wave quality and the set-up.
"This is going to be a great event. This wave definitely looks like it's a high performance right hand barrel that has full-on ramps so it's going to be a competition wave"
"You have to see photo's of the set-up here to get an idea of the scale and quality of the scaffolding. It's amazing!! It looks like a U2 concert or something ... it's pretty full on"
Today both Ben Player and Amaury Laverhne turned up at the beach to cast an eye over the battlefield that will ultimately decide the World Championship.
Ironically the two riders are travelling and staying together and this typifies the strong spirit of camaraderie that exists in the sport of Bodyboarding.
Ben Player laughed as he reflected on the situation
"Yeh, I've been here for a week now in preparation for the last event on the IBA World Tour and the waves have been pretty unbelievable over here. I made the stupid move of staying with Amaury, the guy that is coming second so it's out of him and me for the World Title"
"It's pretty scary but it's also pretty cool because every surf we go for we push each other and we can see where we are at. Confital is a pretty good wave. It breaks really similar to a wave that I surf a lot at home called Headlands so I feel really comfortable out there."
Ben was also suitably impressed with the massive set-up that the production company Maldito Rodriguez has assembled
"I'm pretty sure that this event will be the biggest event on Tour. It's massive. Possibly the biggest I've ever seen!! Whoever stands on the podium, it's out of me and Amaury, it will be pretty amazing eh"
Amaury Laverhne looked very relaxed as he surveyed the event site today. He is already happy to be at worst second on the 2007 ratings and he has everything to gain and nothing to lose at Confital.
"I feel good. I have been at home at Reunion Island getting some great waves, training a lot and surfing a lot. I will have to be pretty lucky to win the title but I will make the best that I can. I have been travelling with Ben, I rent a car with him and we stay in the same apartment".
"At first my friends said it was a crazy move and that he may kill me during the night (laughs) but is ok. It's good to be surfing and training with him and there are not many sports in the world that the number 1 & 2 ranked athletes can do this so it's cool"
The event will commence on Monday mid-morning after an official welcome and Media launch and with a big swell forecast to hit tomorrow things are shaping up very nicely indeed for a big finish to the IBA Tour in 2007.
Watch the webcast live at
www.confitalibatour.com or IBA Official site:
www.ibatour.com.
More Info - Contact IBA General Manager Terry McKenna
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