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SOLID SOUTH SWELL HITS CHILE
Big Buey contest in Arica sees huge surf
Photos: All photos: Philip Muller/ASA
SURF NEWS SOLID SOUTH SWELL HITS CHILE
July 18, 2008
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CONDITIONS: A VERY solid SW groundswell marched into Arica's daunting outer reef on Thursday; some sets were triple-overhead plus with light winds. Entire South American big-wave surfing community was on hand.
 
OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS: The big winner of this already classic big-wave contest (third time running in six years) was Reinaldo "Chacha" Ibarra from Iquique, who managed to ride the biggest wave in the final. The second place was awarded to Evaristo "Kiko" Ferreira from Brazil who had just arrived in Arica the night before the contest charged all the way through from round one.

The other remarkable finalist was Diego Medina who applied all his knowledge and experience of Chilean big waves in these difficult waters to reach the third place of this contest. Diego was the rider with the best wave selection and sat deepest in every heat. And with fourth place came another international big wave rider from Argentina: Diego Conti, who was injured in the final and had to paddle in midway through the heat.
HIGHLIGHTS: Apart from the chargers listed above, the swell itself was the highlight of the day - a big, clean Southern Hemi, exactly what this area loves. The El Buey was the first event in Chile's Triple Corona de Surf de Arica; the weekend will see surfers compete at El Gringo, home to last year's Search contest, and next week will see them compete at a local beachbreak, rounding out the
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