The Tourism Councilor, Carlos Álamo, and Javier Macías, the event coordinator, unveiled the latest updates for the Gran Canaria Pro-AM, which will take place from December 3 to 8 at Las Canteras Beach.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Wednesday, November 27 – The iconic Las Canteras Beach, featuring the waves of La Cícer, El Lloret, and Los Muellitos, will once again host the world’s top paddle surf championship in its fifth edition. The Gran Canaria Pro-Am 2024, part of the APP World Tour, is scheduled from December 3 to 8 and will crown champions in the SUP Surf and Longboard categories.
«This world championship has positioned Gran Canaria as the venue for its finals and a must-visit location for fans of this emerging sport. Moreover, it’s a spectacle in itself and a chance to witness the skill of Iballa Ruano, who returns to her home island to defend her title with the potential to win it again,» stated Tourism Councilor Carlos Álamo during the presentation at the Gran Canaria Tourism headquarters. He encouraged locals to attend the event at Las Canteras, which will feature food trucks, live music, and a space to showcase championship videos and paddle surfing highlights.
Javier Macías, coordinator of the Gran Canaria Pro-Am, explained that the event will determine the world champions in the Performance Open Male, Female, and U21 categories, as well as in Longboard. “We will crown six world champions in total. Additionally, we are proud to showcase the advantages of Gran Canaria for practicing all forms of surfing,» he noted.
Macías represented Björn Dunkerbeck, the event organizer, who could not attend due to logistical issues returning from Namibia, where speed trials were held at Lake Lüderitz. Álamo also excused the absence of Aridany Romero, the Sports Councilor of the Cabildo and head of the Insular Sports Institute, which also sponsors the championship.
“For Gran Canaria Tourism, this is a clear and secure investment. This discipline continues to grow, as evidenced by the increasing number of schools and services for surfing and paddle surfing in Gran Canaria. It gives us even more reason to support events like this, which promote Gran Canaria as a global tourist and sports destination through a platform like paddle surfing. This also allows us to showcase our constant spring-like climate in the middle of December, along with the ideal conditions our city and island offer for this sport, which enjoys a growing fan base and top-tier professional services,” Álamo added.
«We have participants from around the world who come to the island seeking what Gran Canaria offers and what this championship represents. We’re talking about perfect waves, sun, beaches, and wearing swimsuits in December. This is the image we project to all the participating countries through our visuals. We make a significant effort to position Gran Canaria and its tourism appeal on the APP World Tour’s international circuit and in the participating countries,» explained the event coordinator.
He also mentioned that Iballa Ruano has been preparing for the event in Fuerteventura, “eager to defend her title.” He highlighted the participation of Japanese rider Taka Inoue in the men’s category, last year’s Junior and Longboard champion, who is also contending for the title this year. Inoue has been training on the island with his team, generating extensive positive publicity for Gran Canaria through his social media posts.
Other notable participants include Lucía Cosoletto (ARG), Kaede Inoue (JPN), Sandra Inoue (JPN), Prunex Guerin (FRA), Aline Adisska (JPN), Alazne Aurrekoetxea (ESP) in the women’s category, and Guillermo Carracedo (ESP), Wellington Reis (BRA), Sebastián Gómez (PER), Luis Diniz (BRA), and Benoit Carpentier (FRA) in the men’s category.
