| The 2009 IBA Grand Slam heads to Arica in Chile |
| Monday, 25 May 2009 13:45 |
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The second of 4 IBA Grand Slam events gets underway in Chile in late July at the Arica Chilean Challenge. Cristian “Tomate” Peralta said: Since 2004 Arica Chilean Challenge was a part of the World Qualify Tour and demostrated that it had to be a part of the World Super Tour. Then in 2006 was the first time when the best of the bodyboarders of the world came to Arica and they confirmed that EL GRINGO is one of the best spots for bodyboarding. This spot is located in the Alacran Island (Isla del Alacrán) in front of El Morro. Arica Chilean Challenge winners 2004 - Ryan Hardy It is recommendable to start exploring the country, in Arica, which is 2.062 km far from the north of Santiago and it is known as the northern entrance door of Chile, near to Peru and Bolivia, destinations and connected with the rest of the country and abroad through a maritime port, an airport and highways together with adequate transportation. Known as the “City of the never ending spring”, it offers attractive beaches with agreeable warm waters. It is the starting point to visit the altiplano and the nearby cities that are kept alive by their archeological values which features vestiges of the geoglyphs of El Lluta Valley and the Chinchorro mummies of Azapa Valley. The Chinchorro Culture amazes with the mummification techniques for their dead people, the oldest of the world: three thousand years before the Egyptian. The altiplano is at more than 4.500 m above sea level. It is characterized by the presence of salt deposits (salt mines), lakes, lagoons and snow-capped volcanoes which have peaks that are over 6.000 m above sea level., with a diversity of flora and fauna., There are 3 of the existing 6 flamenco species in the world. A visit to this destination passes through Putre, a place used as a service, rest and departure center to unique national parks, such as El Lauca and as a meeting point with pre-Hispanic cultures and a magnificent landscape that mixes the desert with snowy peaks. It is the habitat of picturesque Aimarean villages that live with llamas and alpacas. In general, this destination offers all necessary facilities to go swimming, to do nautical sports, mountaineering, bird-watching activities, to enjoy nature and it is an ideal place for those who enjoy photography, mountain bike, trekking, hiking, horseback riding and agro-tourism, as well as to participate in photographic raids or in archeological circuits with geoglyphs, petroglyphs and pictographies.
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