Photo: @quemao_class
This is a fitting start to a new decade for a guy like Aritz Aranburu. The once-CT competitor turned Euro all-star has supplanted himself as one of his home continent’s regular standouts. If a notable swell sweeps across the Atlantic, somehow, the Spanish surfer knows how and where to find its most jaw-dropping barrels.
And sure enough, the decade’s first named storm (Brendan) floated through during a two-day event dedicated entirely to getting tubed — the 2020 Quemao Class, presented by Billabong Europe — and Aritz won it all.
Photo: quemao_class
The fifth edition of the event went down this week in the Canary Islands town of La Santa, a village on Lanzarote that happens to be home to an immaculate barreling left. Aranburu snagged himself a perfect 10 on day two of the event en route to the win, with fourth place going to Basque surfer Natxo González, third place for the Frenchman Adrien Toyon, and the Irishman Gearoid Mcdaid finishing as the first runner up. You couldn’t compile much stronger a list of European heavy hitters on one podium.
“It has been two incredible days where the waves have been the [main attraction] and for me one of the most special championships that I have been able to compete in my career, ” Aranburu said. “It seems very easy when the waves are perfect, but I know that there is a lot of work behind all this. Today felt very good, I had good energy. It is a championship that is enjoyed because in the water, we encourage each other tube after tube, and the warmth of the public makes it very special.”
