The eighth edition of this invitational championship once again projected two days of impressive waves. Frenchmen Joan Duru and Amaury Lavernhe were the big winners this year
The eighth edition of the Lanzarote Quemao Class took place over two days full of exciting surfing and bodyboarding competitions, where the iconic La Santa waves proved worthy of their reputation as one of the best on the continent. From young up-and-comers to experienced competitors, the event stood out for its spectacular nature and the standard of the surfers. Frenchmen Joan Duru and Amaury Lavernhe were the big winners in this edition.
On the first day of competition young local Makoa Gomez emerged as one of the big surprises, leading his heat with remarkable scores. His connection with the wave, forged by growing up right in front of it, gave him a strategic advantage in challenging conditions. ” I’m super excited to be able to compete this year, it’s a dream come true for me,” said Gomez, reflecting his excitement and determination.
American surfer, Mason Barnes, competed for the first time at El Quemao and shared his experience: “I’ve never experienced such incredible waves in my country. He highlighted the superiority of La Santa, describing it as “one of the best waves I’ve ever seen”.
Hawaiian bodyboarding veteran Mike Stewart praised La Santa’s technical uniqueness. “There aren’t many places in the world where the conditions align in such a way that it offers a type of wave as technical as this, and this is truly one of those places. With the right tide and wind, everything aligns. This is a really unique place in the world, and it is one that I have always wanted to come to, and have the opportunity to compete in. This wave is very similar to what I’m used to in Hawaii, which is the Pipeline wave. This one may be a little smaller, but the conditions and characteristics of this wave are much better.”
French surfers Joan Duru and Marc Lacomare also left their mark by achieving perfect 10-point waves, demonstrating their deep knowledge of La Santa. Marc Lacomare expressed his joy at returning to the event, describing the wave as “intense” and “powerful”, forming “a huge tube” that offers an “unparalleled sensation”.
The second day of the competition began with the celebration of the quarterfinals, where Joan Duru stood out by achieving the first perfect 10-point wave in an experience that he described as “the best wave I have ever caught in my life.” Next to him, local youngster Makoa Gómez continued to advance and expressed his joy at securing his place in the semifinals.
Marc Lacomare and Aritz Aranburu, both with notable scores, demonstrated their exceptional knowledge of La Santa. The more solid conditions on the second day did not diminish the determination of the competitors, as Basque Aritz Aranburu pointed out: “The conditions were more solid than on the previous day, the wave was perfect.”
In bodyboarding, Frenchmen Ethan Capdeville and Amaury Lavernhe led into the semi-finals, excited by even bigger waves and perfect conditions. Alex Uranga, Basque bodyboarder, shared his experience in the biggest waves of the day, qualifying for the semi-finals and praising the greatness of Lanzarote as a venue for sporting events.
The 8th edition of the Lanzarote Quemao Class reached its apotheotic finale with the Frenchmen Joan Duru and Amaury Lavernhe crowned champions in surfing and bodyboarding, respectively. Two days of exceptional conditions saw competitors give their best, culminating in a well-deserved victory.
Joan Duru, emerging as surfing champion, praised La Santa’s perfection and expressed his gratitude for being part of this special event. Amaury Lavernhe, winning his fourth bodyboarding title, highlighted the excitement of facing the exceptional waves of Lanzarote and was grateful for the opportunity to participate in this unique event. With an atmosphere of camaraderie, the competitors celebrated Mother Nature and the privileged invitation to this unparalleled event.
