ABF 2024 ends with a chilean champion and a large-scale sports and cultural festival
28/May/2024
The sporting event, presented by SQM’s Iodine and Plant Nutrition Division and Escondida | BHP, ended with a large crowd as Hawaiian Sammy Morretino was awarded first place in the dropknee category and, thus, the world title.
After 13 days of competition, the 2024 Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival (ABF) successfully wrapped up with the final day of competition and a large-scale closing ceremony, with hundreds of people enjoying the sport along with cultural, gastronomic, tourist and musical activities to entertain local families along the city’s coast.
Earlier in the day, the champion of the dropknee (DK) category was defined in a duel of Hawaiians. Sammy Morretino ultimately won the title with a score of 15.65 points, leaving his compatriot and bodyboard legend David Hubbard in second place with 14.15 points.
With this result, Morretino was crowned world champion in the DK 2024 category. After celebrating with his team and receiving the applause of the Antofagasta crowd, the Hawaiian expressed his excitement at achieving first place. “This is awesome because it’s a goal you’re always pushing for. We train so hard every day to reach this goal and today here in Antofagasta we did it. I am so thrilled and happy.”
The new DK champion joins the winners Mosiés Silva of Chile (Men), Maíra Viana of Brazil (Women), Unax Pascual of Spain (Junior Men), Luna Dourado of Portugal (Junior Woman) and Luna Hardman of Brazil, who competed in a defining heat to be crowned world champion in the Junior Women category.
At the end of the event, Arturo Soto, director of the Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival, expressed his satisfaction with the event’s success. “The ABF is a sports festival that is part of the Antofagasta community. Riders from all over the world come here to compete and tour the city and enjoy its beauty. We are very happy because we managed to pull off the event for another year and people enjoyed it to the fullest. We hope that next year the event will continue to grow.”
The Head of Community Relations Antofagasta for SQM’s Iodine and Plant Nutrition Division, Manuel Ossandón, said “as a company we once again joined this international championship because it highlights the talent of local athletes and at the same time promotes tourism in the city. Our involvement also creates shared social value by promoting sports, healthy living and care for the environment, some of the main areas of our work with the community.”
To wrap up the festivities, the athletes received their awards and prizes on the stage of the Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival, which also featured live bands, including the popular national rapper Chystemc.
