Aidan soaks up the Gran Canarian weather.

Rob Barber reports from the final stop of the 2010 World Tour in Gran Canaria. Check in each day for all the gossip from the trenches.

IBA WORLD TOUR CONFITAL

One of the biggest bodyboarding events of the year and possibly of the last few years is about to kick off in Gran Canaria. The Confital Pro. Although the swell is small here at the moment, it’s due to grow a little and the island is currently crawling with the worlds best bodyboarders.

THE IMPORTANCE

So why is this contest so big and so important? Well this is what Terry Mckenna from the IBA has to say about it:

With the World title already secured months ago by Amaury Laverhne attention will now focus on the battle for the elusive Top 24 riders in the world.

With the tour splitting into two tiers (Grand Slam series GSS & Global Qualifying series GQS) the final event will be crucial to several of the guys looking at the last remaining positions.

The 2011 GSS series will be the biggest in the sports history and the guys that secure a contract in the Top 24 will be privileged to extraordinary media opportunities as well as feature in the new IBA website and TV series.

Looking at the current rankings there are a number of scenarios that could play out but the most obvious riders in a vulnerable position are:

Gasto Entrudo (Portugal)

Hugo Pinheiro (Portugal)

Jones Russell (Australia)

Mark McCarthy (Sth Africa)

Paulo Barcellos (Brazil)

These guys need a solid result to secure a Top 24 spot for 2011.

On the flip side we have several riders yet to lock in their final Grand Slam result and they include:

Manuel Centeno (Portugal)

Gilhermo Cobo (Canary)

Luis Villar (Brazil)

Hermano Castro (Brazil)

Dallas Singer (Australia)

With a half decent result these guys can acquire a contract for the GSS.

Also see who will claim the DKWT World Championship with Cesar Bauer (Peru) Dave Hubbard (Hawaii) and Ardiel Jimenez (Canary) all in the race.

Isabella Sousa has already Ladies captured the crown in 2010 but Neymara will battle the field including Catarina, Unate and Sousa in the ultimate showdown for the women.

With all of this on the line as well as a first class webcast, the 2010 Confital Pro will be one of the best ever to watch.

So there you have it, straight from the mouth of IBA Tour Head Honcho Terry McKenna. Sadly no Brit’s or Irish involved in the top 24 but none the less some incredible bodyboarders to blow up as soon as the waves arrive.

SO WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENIN?

Rob and Aidan clearly daized and confused... they must have been to enter the IBA event.

The Brit crew arrived on Monday, consisting of Aidan Salmon, Remi Geffroy and myself. Darragh McCarter is the sole Ireland representative, we’re hoping to catch up with him tomorrow. A huge storm has blown through the Canary Islands in the last 48 hours. The winds have been all over the place and it’s been throwing it down, not quite the weather respite we were hoping for after the UK’s recent arctic impersonation. Aidan and I surfed Confital yesterday morning and were joined by Dave Hubbard, Jacob and Jonah Romero, Michael Novy, Jones Russell and a gaggle of other top bodyboarders.

Novy seemed to be surfing the best with crazily-clinical-combo’s. Snapping the sharpest snap reverses and cramming in more moves than anyone but making it look effortless. Dave Hubbard, being the talented-freak that he is, found a discarded bucket floating in the line up. He picked it up, got up backhand on the next wave that came through and when he did a snap off the top he launched a pale of water over the top of the wave. Literally throwing buckets. Classic to see. Later on we bumped in to Mike Stewart, Tom Rigby and the Science team in McDonalds using the internet. The place is overflowing with bodyboarding talent… just need some swell for them to show what they can do.

Contest check in is Dec 3rd. Watch this space for further updates/images. Wish Darragh, Aidan, Remi and me luck, we’ll friggin need it.