Sergio Alonso won the Bodyboard Pro Festival

The Venezuelan Sergio Alonso was unexpectedly proclaimed champion of the 2007 Bodyboard Pro Festival (BPF), part of the world tour IBA (International Bodyboarding Association) that took place in Playa Los Caracas, state Vargas, this past weekend.
The young ‘margariteño’, only 17 years old, confronted an excellent set of waves and displayed radical maneuvers. 

He surfed each wave brilliantly and received unconditional support from the audience who applauded and sang his name. 
In the process, he left seasoned surfers in his wake. The final round was very competitive and yet he surpassed athletes such as Jeff Hubbard of the United States (top 9 in the world), the French Amaury Laverne (top 3), and the Brazilian Uri Vadalao (World Champion in 2005).  

Alonso truly surprised his opponents throughout the event as he gained enough confidence to pass the heat by taking advantage of the size of the waves, which were ideal for his style. 

In the semifinals, he was victorious over Hawaiian Mike Stewart, a legend of the sport who holds nine world titles.  This sent a warning to his rivals.

Once he accomplished this feat and reached the finals, the young native of Playa Parguito, state Nueva Esparta, competed even stronger in the final round.  He gained over 6 points on all three of his waves, which practically assured his spot as the victor.

Once the horn sounded to signify the end of the heat, Alonso was crowned the reigning champion of the 2007 Bodyboard Pro Festival, held in the Caribbean waters of Venezuela. 

Results

Pro Men’s
1 Sergio Alonso - Venezuela
2 Jeff Hubbard - Hawaii
3 Amaury Laverhne – Reunion Island
4 Uri Valadão - Brazil

Pro Women’s
1 Mayla Venturin (Brazil)
2 Neymara Carvalho (Brazil)
3 Soraia Rocha (Brazil)
4 Natasha Sagradía (Puerto Rico)

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