Viviana Araya on the Road to Panama 2026

The Iquique native bodyboarder Viviana Araya has been officially nominated to represent Chile at the Pan American Surf Games 2026, set to take place from April 24 to May 3 at Playa Venao.

The national team was selected by the Federación Chilena de Surf following an analysis of the 2025 national ranking and technical performance criteria. In the Women’s Bodyboard Prone division, Araya has been listed among the prioritized athletes, meaning her participation will be funded by the federation.

For Vivi, this nomination carries special meaning. Not only does it mark her second consecutive year being selected to represent the country, but it also reflects the growth of her career within competitive bodyboarding.

Intense preparation for Panama

At Queen Of The Wave, we joined Vivi during part of her training sessions, witnessing firsthand the work she is putting in to reach peak performance for this important event.

She is currently training daily in the ocean alongside her coach Pedro Faundes, combining technical sessions in the water with a demanding physical training plan.

Her preparation includes gym workout three times a week, mobility training, stretching, yoga, and pranayama—tools she uses not only to strengthen her body but also to prepare mentally for the pressure of competing on the international stage.

“I’m very happy to represent Chile and to be nominated again. I’m going with determination and energy to show that Chilean bodyboarding is a force in the world,” Vivi says about this new challenge.

A step forward in bodyboarding’s Olympic pathway

The Pan American Surf Games not only bring together some of the continent’s top riders, but also form part of a broader competitive pathway connecting to other international events.

The competition in Panama will serve as a qualifier for the Central American and Caribbean Games 2026, and is part of the pathway that several surfing disciplines are following toward the Olympic cycle leading to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

For bodyboarding, being part of these competitive structures represents an important step in the sport’s recognition and development within high-performance frameworks.

As the event approaches, Vivi remains focused on her training, aiming to arrive fully prepared to face this challenge with the same determination that has brought her this far.

From Queen Of The Wave, we continue to follow the journey of our riders and celebrate this new nomination of Viviana Araya, who keeps establishing herself as one of Chile’s representatives on the international bodyboarding stage.