“I’m going big.”
Mike Stewart comments on his strategy for the event.
Wild Wild Wave El Fronton Invitational
International Bodyboard Association Sanctioned
Canary Islands, Atlantic Ocean
Waiting Period: Sunday December 12 to Tuesday December 21
Check this Red Bull link now: (Insert link for Update #4)
Monday December 13 2010
Gran Canary Island
Your event host Manny Vargas got an earful this morning when legendary bodyboarder Mike Stewart told him, “I’m going big. Everyone’s going to go big. It’s going to be nuts. So I’m going big.” Now if the man himself is going to put it all on the line, you know that no one, we mean no one, is going to hold back. With the world watching on Red Bull Web TV and one of the biggest first place cash prize up for grabs, why would anyone deny themselves from ‘going big?’
Day number four in the waiting period has come and gone. The waves at El Fronton this morning were perfect 3 to 4 feet but that’s not why the guys are here on the outskirts of the small town of Galdar on Gran Canaria Island. Nope. But it was good enough to get out there and stay in form.
The fourth installment of the Red Bull daily updates of the events saw local ripper, Yeray Martinez, talk about the reef. That one thing that makes El Fronton… El Fronton. The waves come in from the Atlantic Ocean deep waters and purge on the shallow reefs that surround the coast line of the Canary Islands. El Fronton claims rights to the one reef that produces “the best bodyboarding in the world ” according to the Frenchman, Peirre Louis Costes.
Ben Player decided to take the day off from consistent out-of-water activities and exercise. While his body recovers, a few of the other competitors decided to hit the soccer fields for a quick game. Jeff Hubbard opted to play goalie to prevent injury on the artificial turf. Guilherme Tamega, Ryan Hardy, David Winchester, Pierre Louis Costes, Amaury Laverne, Manny Vargas and photographer Andy Lawrence took to the field. After an hour of running and sweating, a couple groms showed up and put a few of the boys to shame with a goal and plenty of assists.
When all the boys returned to the rooms, it was back to reading bodyboarding magazines, emails, Facebook and watching videos.
Your event commentator Manny Vargas tells us, “everyone of these guys has their own unique way of handling competitions with a waiting period. What it really comes down to is… how are they going to perform when the big days come. Soccer, yoga, swimming… that’s all filler. They all have a shot to win. It comes down to who’s going to go big.” Mike Stewart is in.
2010 Wild Wild Wave El Fronton Invitational is being brought to you by:
Maldito Rodriguez and Red Bull Media House.
Check this Red Bull link now: (Insert link for Update #4)
Get your daily dosage of updates on redbull.com and redbull.com/tv.
An alert will be emailed out when the call is made to go.
This event will be live broadcast on redbull.com/tv
Current Conditions
Swell: West 3 feet
Contest Start: Not Yet
Winds: Light cross shore
Texture: Semi glassy
Weather: Mostly clear
The IBA has set up a dedicated facebook page facebook.com/pages/International-Bodyboard-Association-IBA-El-Fronton-Invitational/107133989354869 where you will be updated on a daily basis on the lead up to the event with surf forecasts, rider interviews and footage as the world best prepare for the most anticipated event in Bodyboarding worldwide. You will be alerted when the event is scheduled to be held to ensure you don’t miss any of the action.
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