Mast high waves and strengthening wind welcomed the start of the Challengers round of the Chile World Cup. Twenty four Chilean and overseas riders battled for just two positions in the main Pro Men’s fleet. Rounds 1, 2 and half of the Round 3 Quarterfinals were completed, with just 12 competitors now remaining.
Wave selection proved critical, with the best waves being the larger, peeling left handers that provided multiple opportunities. Top competitors displayed solid rail to rail surfing in the pocket with aerial moves.
The day started with a strong Round 1 performances by Diego Ducci (Chile) and Vicente Gonzalez (Chile), who both picked some of the biggest waves of the day and showcased some excellent rail to rail surfing to progress straight through to Round 3. Gonzalez made it through his Round 3 Quarterfinal, but Ducci wasn’t able to repeat his performance in the dying wind of the evening and was knocked out of competition.
Round 1, Heat 3 was an entertaining heat for the crowd, with Cristobal Zegers (Chile) choosing some excellent waves and Matias Vargas (Chile) doing some of the most radical turns in the pocket. Both improved their form in Round 3 and had convincing wins to progress through into the semi-finals.
Finn Mellon (Ireland) and Iñaki Maturana (Chile) pulled off some good aerials to get through their first-round heats and make their way into the Quarterfinals.
Meanwhile Tomer Shamgar (Israel) quietly went about his business with just enough effort to get through both his Round 1 and Round 3 heats.
Jose Priewer (Chile) won a close heat to progress along with Tato Molina. But finishing the Round 1 heats with a convincing win was Kymani Laurent (Guadeloupe), who read waves well and showcased a powerful surf style that turned heads on the beach.
Crowd favorite and wave legend, Francisco Goya (Argentina) missed his Round 1 heat but joined the repechage round to get a beautiful, multi-turn first wave. He then followed it up with some mesmerizing, riding deep in the pocket to get the highest wave score of the day, a 7 point ride. He continued his good form in the Round 3 Quarterfinals with rhythmic display of quality wave riding, but his heat was cancelled after he was well on his way to one of the highest heat totals of the day. The rerun was held in lighter winds towards the end of the day and Goya was unable to get a wave in that heat.
Other winners of the repechage round who still remain in the competition are Lucas Meldrum (UK) and Nelson Perez (Puerto Rico).
The Challenger rounds for men and women are expected to finish on Thursday, with Pro Men’s and Pro Women’s competition then following.
Follow the live competition scores on LiveHeats. The full Live Broadcast will be streamed on the IWT Wave Tour YouTube channel, and the official IWT event page. Follow on social media channels @IWT_Wave_Tour and @ PWAworldtour.
