Mauro Quesada Claims U18 Spanish Bodyboard Title in Tenerife

Some champions collect many titles, while others truly make their mark. Mauro Quesada definitely falls into the second category. This young bodyboarder from the Canary Islands recently became the U18 Spanish champion. He secured the title by winning the final event of the national circuit, held in Las Conchas (Santiago del Teide). This victory came at the end of a challenging season, as he finishes his junior career, and in a year that establishes him as one of the top prospects in Canarian bodyboarding.

This win was also special because of where it happened. Quesada, originally from Gran Canaria, has developed his skills in Tenerife. He has trained, grown, and won there many times. “I’ve had a strong connection with this island for a long time,” he shared. In fact, to understand his journey in the sport, you really need to look at Tenerife.

Waves like Las Conchas, La Caleta, Punta Blanca, and El Socorro are just a few of the places where he has grown as a bodyboarder. These spots have hosted national and European championships, but for him, they've also been crucial for his personal development. As he puts it, “a very important part of his bodyboarding history was written in Tenerife.”

Speaking to EL DÍA a few days after being named Spanish champion, Quesada still felt a mix of surprise and joy. He’s still taking in what happened. He admitted to being “super happy with this result.” This U18 national title is the outcome of a season he worked incredibly hard for. “This circuit has been tough, very competitive, and full of moments where I had to push harder than ever. Every event demanded the best of me, and that’s why this title has special value; finishing the circuit as number 1 in Spain in the Junior category is incredible,” Quesada posted on his social media.

The national season began in Arucas, where Mauro secured an early victory. He then missed the Galicia event because it clashed with a Canarian circuit competition in La Caleta. A second-place finish at the Spanish Championship in Gran Canaria meant everything came down to the final event. And, in Las Conchas, he achieved the perfect result. It was an unbeatable ending and a fantastic boost for what's next.

What comes next for him is a big step. The Canarian rider is now moving up to the senior category. As he puts it, he’ll be competing “against the greatest.” Does this challenge scare him or excite him? “It motivates me. I’ve wanted to compete there for a long time,” he stated.

With his 2024 sporting season now complete, Quesada is looking forward to one of the biggest excitements of his young career next year: competing against riders he has admired since he was a child. He admits some of them are his “idols.” This includes two-time world champion Amaury Lavernhe, his “long-time role model, who inspired him as a boy and still does.” Quesada says of the Frenchman, “For me, he will always be the best bodyboarder in the world.”

You can't talk about Mauro Quesada without mentioning the waves that have shaped his style. Many of these, naturally, are found in Tenerife. The young rider points to two favourite spots: Alcalá, which he calls “one of the best,” and El Socorro in Los Realejos, a well-known location even on the European circuit. “I usually go to El Socorro,” he says, noting it hosts “one of the most highly regarded events on the European circuit.” Last year, he had a major success there, becoming junior champion at a European Tour of Bodyboard stop. He shared that victory with his friend, Ángelo López from Puerto de la Cruz, who won the Open category – and whom he’ll soon be competing against in the senior category.

With an impressive record – including being a two-time Spanish champion, two-time national champion by Autonomous Communities, double Canarian champion, and European champion in 2024 – Quesada offers advice to those just starting out in bodyboarding. “Have patience,” the Canarian suggests. He admits that when he began, he “felt a bit lost,” but he soon realised that “the sea gives you everything” and that, without exaggeration, it is “one of the best sports that exist.”