2019 – FRONTON KING – A big challenge
El Fronton , Galdar – Gran Canaria
A HIGH-STAKES FINAL
In 2019, the step of the Fronton King returns into the APB World Tour season.
This is my first year of break on the World Tour and I decide to go only to Arica and to attend the Fronton King.
I’m not in the title race nor the Top 10, I have no goal other than to surf at my best and show that I’m always in the game and fit.
It’s a great competition, with big waves every day, that allow me to score high.
excepted on the last day when wind and rain decide to come and disturb the perfection of El Fronton.
But on that spot, even in poor conditions, the waves are much better than in other places.
LOOKING FOR BIG SCORES
This 2019 competition is very intense, I have to play on technique and strategy.
In the 1/4 final, I score a 10 pts in the last seconds wave against Tanner Mac Daniel
In the 1/2 final against Jared Houston – my winner in the previous FK final in 2017 – a 8,5 pts IN the last second of the heat allows me to reach the final.
From the beginning of the afternoon, conditions are stuck with irregular waves and little opportunity for high-potential waves.
A BIG SUSPENSE FOR THE WORLD TITLE
For this last competition of the Tour 2019 the ranking is favorable for two riders on the WT :
Tristan Roberts and Pierre-Louis Costes, each one can be the World Champion 2019.
This final of the final event is very important : if Tristan wins, it will be the 2019 World Champion.
In case I finish the first, it is Pierre Louis who gets his third world title.
Imagine the pressure as you enter the water for the final for both Tristan and I.
AN AVERAGE FINAL WITH A BIG STAKE
As Tristan and I are going the he peak before the start, I tell Tristan that the title is within reach, that his destiny belongs to him.
Tristan is afraid, I tell him it’s the perfect time to do it.
The heat is not easy to lead as the sea is hasty, the perfect Fronton lines do not arrive
The final does not offer a very big show, in the rain, wind and capricious waves.
But Tristan and I fight fairly, with Tristan scoring two waves at 7.67 and 7.5 and for me only at 6.67 and 6.53.
ONE VICTORY AND ONE WORLD TITLE
It’s exciting to see your opponent becoming the World Champion.
The emotion is very strong for the winner of the heat and I am close to him to share this unique feeling.
I also appreciate the enthusiasm and the support of the public, my wife who is waiting with Nahara in the rocks below the cliff, just by the sea.
I like to see my son Oliver waiting for me upstairs and the big ovation of the audience.
Thank you to all of you.
A big bravo for the organization of the contest and the quality of surfing of the Canarian riders who are not on the worldWorld Tour.
These riders set the bar very high for competitors at El Fronton.
The ceremony of the 2019 season is memorable, Tristan Roberts celebrates his World Title.
I receive the 2019 APB Award for Best Performance.
