The IBA has positioned the world tour events in 2012 to entice international riders to Australia by scheduling three Australian events back-to-back. In one month, contestants will have the opportunity to compete in an IBA Grand Slam event, a 6 Star Primary GQS and potentially the Shark Island Challenge.
This year, the IBA has dual sanctioned both the Box Pro and the Port Macquarie Festival of Bodyboarding. Australian riders who compete in these events will enjoy the opportunity to earn the Global Qualifying Series points, as well as 3 star points towards the Rebel Sports Pro Tour.
March and April also see Grand Slam World Tour events for the Women’s World Tour and the Drop Knee World Tour. Dates for the Australian events are March 26th through April 24th. If you have ever wanted to see Australia, this is the best opportunity you could ask for. Autumn in Australia brings warm weather and consistent swells on Australia’s east and west coasts.
West Australia is home to some of the best waves on the planet, providing tourists a real taste of the “Wild West” of the country. Port Macquarie, on the other hand, is positioned in the middle of the New South Wales east coast. The small town produces some of Australia’s best bodyboarders, whose training grounds are the iconic breakwall and shallow churning barrels running down either side of town.
The 2012 IBA BOX Pro
The 2012 IBA Grand Slam Series arrives in Australia in late March with the IBA Box Pro, the second of eight events on the IBA Grand Slam Series in Margaret River, Western Australia. Dates for the event are March 26th through April 4th, with prize money totalling US$35,000.
The IBA Box Pro event rose from the ashes last year to establish itself as one of the most exciting venues on the tour, with heaving ten foot slabs on the final day. Local rider Ryan Hardy had an emotional victory in front of a passionate home crowd.
The IBA Box Pro will see the top 24 bodyboarders duke it out, along with two wildcards and six successful qualifiers from the official Trials event. The Trials event will be held at Gas Bay, will carry valuable GQS world tour points and will double up as a maximum rated Australian Pro Tour event. The Trials event is anyone’s opportunity to take on the world’s best riders on the biggest stage and to get into position with valuable GQS tour points.
The 2012 IBA Port Macquarie Festival of Bodyboarding
The Port Macquarie Festival of Bodyboarding is shaping up to be the largest bodyboarding event held in Australia and in the World, with total prize money to exceed US$60,000. The event will feature three IBA World Tour Events, along with the 25th Anniversary of the Port Macquarie Australian Teams Challenge. Up to 500 professional and amateur competitors are expected to attend from all corners of the globe. The event will be held as a mobile event over 10 days from Saturday 14th April through Monday 23rd April 2012 at the following Port Macquarie beaches: Town Beach, North Beach, Flynns Beach, and Lighthouse Beach. Port Macquarie was officially granted the title of Bodyboarding Capital of Australia in 2011.
Port Macquarie Teams Challenge (Saturday 14th April – Tuesday 17th April 2012)
2012 will see the 25th Anniversary of the Port Macquarie Teams Challenge, the ultimate interclub bodyboarding challenge in Australia and New Zealand. Each local club sends ten members as a team to compete in Juniors’, Men’s, and Drop Knee divisions. Each team competes for the right to claim to be the best bodyboarding club in Australia and New Zealand. The IBA has removed the entry fee for the contest and offered a $10,000 cash prize for the winning team. This standalone four-day event will see a maximum of 22 teams bring in 200 competitors from Australia and New Zealand.
IBA World Tour Events (Wednesday 18th April – Monday 23rd April 2012)
Mens 6 Star Global Qualifying Series (GQS) Event/ Australian Tour 3 Star Event/ Shark Island Trials
Never before has a single event in Australia had so much at stake. The prize money on offer is US$25,000. The Port Macquarie event is first and foremost the only IBA 6 star GQS event in Australia and the first 6 Star GQS event of the 2012 tour. Secondly, the event will double up as an IBA Australian Tour event with the maximum 3 star status and maximum points available on the Rebel Sport Pro Tour.
Finally, and potentially most significantly, the event will be used as the official Trials for the IBA Shark Island Challenge, with valuable spots available for the prestigious IBA Specialty Event at Shark Island. The waiting period for the Shark Island Challenge will commence immediately following this event, before breaking for the IBA Chile and IBA Brazil events. The Shark Island Challenge waiting periods are April 24th through May 14th and June 21st through July 28th, 2012.
We expect the largest and most competitive field in men’s bodyboarding to be in attendance for this event. Lock in the date on the calendar, book your flights and make sure you are a part of history.
Women’s Grand Slam World Tour (WWT) Event
Event two of the Women’s World Tour race will run, and its winner will be crowned, at the Port Macquarie Bodyboarding Festival. There is US$15,000 of prize money on offer. We expect the Port Macquarie event to bring a host of the best professional women riders from around the world to compete at this maximum rated World Tour event.
Drop Knee Grand Slam World Tour (DKWT) Event
Event three of the Drop Knee World Tour race will also run, and its winner will be crowned, at the Port Macquarie Bodyboarding Festival. With US$10,000 of prize money on offer, Port Macquarie will bring in a field of the very best professional drop knee riders from around the world to compete for this maximum rated World Tour event. Managed by IBA Drop Knee Director, Clayton Pickworth, and judged by judges specializing in drop knee, the Port Macquarie event will not disappoint.
Stay up to date with the IBA World Tour via regular updates at: www.ibaworldtour.com.
