Gran Canaria ProAm: A Weekend of Powerful Waves and Incredible Performance in Las Palmas. Spanish rider Iballa Moreno took the Women’s win at this weekends 2019 APP World Tour SUP Surfing event – the 4th and final event of the season. This weekend’s win also sees the Starboard Dream team rider placed second overall for the 2019 season, just behind Izzi Gomez.
After completing the early rounds of competition at La Cicer in Las Palmas under solid 6-foot wave conditions, local organizers Björn Dunkerbeck of SUP Gran Canaria and the APP World Tour crew moved the event site, including judges booth and media tower, to the reef break at El Lloret. El Loret delivered solid swell and pristine conditions for the final days of competition.
Saturday morning, El Loret awakened for the final rounds with 8-10 foot reeling right-handers peeling along the reef for more than 300 meters in soft, offshore winds. Rounds 3 and 4 for both Men and Women launched at 9AM with frothing riders happy to see El Loret come alive again. Spectators witnessed the best SUP surfers in the world put on a show with impressive surfing style and bold, powerful manoeuvres.
Iballa Moreno: Queen of the Peak at Gran Canaria
2018 APP World Champion Iballa Moreno, after a slow start to her season, came roaring back in the November Barbados Pro event on the APP World Tour finishing in 3rd place. Iballa is certainly one of the favourites for this last event on the Tour in her home turf of Gran Canaria. Those who were present last year at her World Title win, still remember her powerful level of surfing at El Lloret where she dominated the break in the presence of her family and friends. Iballa put forth stellar performances throughout the rounds at the Gran Canaria ProAm with formidable scores. After a win in Round 3 against her friend Shakira Westdorp followed by a solid semi-final against the talented young Peruvian Vania Torres, Moreno took her spot in the final where she challenged the newly crowned World Champion Izzi Gomez in a rematch of last year’s final.
The Canarian dominated the whole battle, taking the biggest set waves and carving a canvas with excellent combinations of manoeuvers to secure her 2nd win in front of a hometown crowd. As Moreno returned to the beach, she was embraced and celebrated by friends and family, her win representing the host venue of Gran Canaria in incredible fashion once again. This victory catapults Moreno’s 2019 World Tour rankings to 2nd Place Overall for 2019. An incredible achievement for this Canarian local who is no stranger to World Championship Tour victories having won multiple Windsurfing World Titles to her credit. But the flavour of the Gran Canaria ProAm victory in front of a home crowd under such supreme conditions is definitely one to savour.
Pic Credits: Laurent Nevarez // APP World Tour
