Overview
The 2019 GKA Mauritius took place in Belombre. Originally scheduled for the classic “One Eye” spot, the sudden venue change set the stage for a legendary event filled with grueling survival battles on shallow reefs and emotional comebacks. It became an unprecedented mega-event with over 90 professional riders from 25 countries, the highest entry count in the tour’s history.
Location and Conditions
Located right in front of the Heritage Hotel, the Belombre break is a dangerous reef setup where massive, wild waves roll in even when One Eye is calm. Simply getting out to the water required a perilous trek over the reef, and the shallow, sharp bottom made crashes extremely risky. The severity of the conditions was evident when Peri Roberts took a heavy beating in the surf, fighting through the heat covered in scratches and bleeding. The weather alternated wildly between intense squalls and harsh sun, but the flatwater lagoon next to the hotel remained clean, providing a perfect arena for the freestyle discipline.
Format and Competitors
The event hosted both the Wave and Freestyle disciplines. The Women’s Wave division saw a record-breaking 20 competitors, highlighting the rapid growth of the discipline. Additionally, South Africa’s Oswald Smith (Ozzy), originally registered only for the Wave division, secured a last-minute spot in Freestyle due to a cancellation, making an impressive dual-discipline appearance.
Highlights and Showdowns
In the Men’s Wave division, Brazil’s Sebastian Ribeiro displayed unbelievable stamina in the double elimination, winning an astounding seven heats in a single day. His semi-final clash against James Carew became an instant classic. Meanwhile, Oswald Smith thrilled the crowds by pulling off a giant-killing victory against the heavy favorite, Mitu Monteiro.
In the Women’s Wave division, Dutch legend Jalou Langeree, who had been forced to miss the entire season due to a severe herniated disc, returned to stake everything on this single event. In the final, she faced a fierce showdown against local rider Ninja Ricot, who had stormed through the double elimination with a six-win streak, ultimately defeating the single elimination runner-up Carla Herrera Oria to reach the top.
The Women’s Freestyle final brought together 14-year-old world champion Mikaili Sol, powerhouse Bruna Kajiya, and rising stars Rita Arnaus and Claudia León. The heat evolved into a spectacular, unpredictable battle filled with massive tricks like KGBs and Heart Attacks.
In the Men’s Freestyle division, France’s Nicolas Delmas dropped jaws in round two with a staggering high score of 35.5 points. Top contenders like Adeuri Corniel and Valentin Rodríguez naturally advanced to the final. Furthermore, last-minute freestyle entrant Oswald Smith proved his multi-talented prowess by fighting his way to the top 8, a highly commendable feat.
View Detailed Results (Spoilers)
Airton Cozzolino ultimately claimed the Men’s Wave crown. James Carew took second place after surviving the grueling semi-final against Sebastian Ribeiro.
In the Women’s Wave division, Jalou Langeree triumphed over Ninja Ricot, completing a cinematic comeback to win the event.
Mikaili Sol secured the Women’s Freestyle victory by landing an 8.53-point KGB and a flawless Slim 5 late in the heat to pull away from the pack. Rita Arnaus stomped a perfect Heart Attack on her last attempt to surpass Bruna Kajiya and claim her first-ever final second-place finish.
Adeuri Corniel emerged victorious in the fiercely contested Men’s Freestyle division.
Men’s Wave Final Results
- 1st: Airton Cozzolino (Cape Verde)
- 2nd: James Carew (Australia)
- 3rd: Sebastian Ribeiro (Brazil)
Women’s Wave Final Results
- 1st: Jalou Langeree (Netherlands)
- 2nd: Ninja Ricot (Mauritius)
- 3rd: Carla Herrera Oria (Spain)
Men’s Freestyle Final Results
- 1st: Adeuri Corniel (Dominican Republic)
- 2nd: Valentin Rodríguez (Colombia)
- 3rd: Liam Whaley (Spain)
- 4th: Nicolas Delmas (France)
Women’s Freestyle Final Results
- 1st: Mikaili Sol (Brazil)
- 2nd: Rita Arnaus (Spain)
- 3rd: Bruna Kajiya (Brazil)
- 4th: Claudia León (Spain)