Nissan Reunion Pro: The fighting finalist - Alex Uranga
posted by Simon Heale on 7th October 2011
The Cinderella story of a humble 22 year old man, Alex Uranga, from Spain's Basque Country played out like a hollywood movie.
Beginning the trials for the contest with a half functioning shoulder wasn't a good start, but he pressed on through the pain and ended up advancing through his first few heats. Then his face wanted to make friends with the reef, but the reef didn't really want to so they had a fight and Alex came off second best.
A gimpy shoulder and a badly cut up face, but still he pressed on. Pressed on in fact to win the trials and advance into the main event.
The clear dark horse was convincingly making it through his heats, doing well in the leader board stage as well as in the round 4 match-up. And then this morning with PUMPING waves reeling off the reef he showed his true competitive colours and powered past an in-form Novy, then past an even more in-form Winny and faced off against the Mr Jake Stone in the final. Eventually coming out on top as he well deserved to.
The riding all day was unbelievable and no-one should be upset with their result because every single heat was ridden like a final! Down to the very last second of them all!
The atmosphere is nothing like I have ever experienced, and something I hope to continue to feel as I strive to make it to more IBA events. As the final buzzer sounded I was shooting with Jerry next to me and he just busts out, "Man, I just got goosebumps!"
An IBA event is something every bodyboarder needs to be at, ride in, experience and enjoy.
IT WILL CHANGE YOU FOREVER.
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