Special coverage of this event on DUKE is brought to you by Crown Uruguay - Cover photo: Montoya pumping for Zanocchi 

Twenty-four of the best surfers from Uruguay and Argentina will face each other in the Río de la Plata classic that will take place between January 5 and 8 in Montoya, La Barra, Maldonado, the organization reported on social media.

The event will mark the return of international tournaments to Uruguay since a stage of the ALAS tour was held in Uruguay in 2012.

There will be a trophy for the winning nation and also for the individual champion in the male and female categories.

The Uruguayan team is made up as follows:
Men:
Lucas Madrid
Luisma Iturria
Sebastian Olarte
Marco Giorgi
Martin Ottado
Matias Nobrega
Santiago Medeiro
Second Vargas

Women
Marcela Machado
Delfina Morosini
Sofia Alfonso
Nicole Leiva

The Argentine team is formed as follows:
Men:
Leandro Usuna
Franco Radziunas
Nacho Gundensen
Martin Passeri
Joaquin Munoz Larreta
Toto Goransky
Maximus Petrina
Thiago Passeri

Women:
Lucia Indurain
Vera Jarisz
Catherine Mercere
Victoria Munoz Larreta

Among the competitors, in addition to the best of Uruguayan surfing, there are three world titles on the Argentine side (two by Lele Usuna and one by Nacho Gundensen), in addition to the multiple Argentine titles of Martín and Thiago Passeri and the brothers Vicky and Joaquín Muñoz Larreta.

From among the four days of the waiting period, one day will be chosen to hold the tournament.

The event is organized by the two-time Uruguayan champion and former ALAS Pro Tour champion, Lucas Madrid, who posted on his Instagram: “A championship that is of utmost importance and value to me personally. Something that started last year as an idea while I was traveling to compete, and that today, thanks to a lot of work and a great human team that followed me crazy, I can share with you.”

And he added: “Those who know me, know what surfing means in my life. Today I look back and see a child who left everything to fulfill his dreams and today, as an adult, it is those same dreams that keep me alive and make me want to face new challenges. Being curious and daring to enter the unknown, to make mistakes and continue learning but above all to give back to surfing a little of everything it has given me over these years.”