Surf Report
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•By Ellen Zoe Golden
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•Ellen lives in Tamarindo but spends much of her time travelling. As well as writing for various publications, she is a publiicist for many show-biz personalities.
After the Costa Rica National Surf Team scored a #5 ranking at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games (WSG) in Costa de Caprica, in Portugal last October, it seemed like the professional surfing scene here faced a little lull. Slowly but surely, things are picking back up.
Just got off the phone with José Ureña, President of the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica, and he had just signed off on all the dates of the 2008-09 Circuito Nacional de Surf (CNS). The first will have just finished when you are reading this, having taken place the weekend of November 29 and 30 in Playa Hermosa’s La Curva. The 5-star contest kicked off the first of six contests in the ninth year of this five-month, countrywide six-beach tournament.
Those dates are:
November 29-30 - Playa Hermosa, La Curva 5 stars
December 13-14 - Jacó 4 stars
January 10-11 - Tamarindo 4
February 7-8 - Nosara, Playa Guiones 5 stars
March 7-8 - Malpais 5 stars
April 3-4 - Playa Hermosa (Finals) 6 stars
This year, however, things are ramped up a notch. According to Ureña, word has spread coast to coast that the top ranked surfers at the end of this year’s CNS will be vying for the coveted spots on the Costa Rica National Surf Team that will compete in the 2009 World Surfing Games scheduled to take place in Playa Hermosa next August. Imagine the pressure athletes in the Circuito will face going up against #5 and #6 in the world Jason Torres and Luis Vindas (both of Jacó), and #6 in the world Women’s Nataly Bernold (also of Jacó).
“You can tell by the way these guys are practicing right now that the level is going to be very high,” said Ureña. They are trying really hard to get on the National Team. It’s not necessarily guaranteed that it will be the same people that were on the team in Portugal. What we are going to do is choose fifteen surfers at the end of the Circuito. Then, we will have a concentrated training for a weekend, and then pick the National team.”
Ureña mentioned that a number of pros who have since left the Circuito system—including Billy Johnson and two-time National Champion Alvaro Solano, among others—are set to return to the tournament this year. Some of the legendary Masters as well. “We’ll see in Hermosa who exactly comes back,” he exclaimed.
In addition, the elevation of intensity in the upper echelon of the CNS Open category is expected to raise the level of competition in all of the divisions, Ureña speculated. In the Juniors, those athletes will have their eye on open spots on the Costa Rica National Junior Team, which will head to the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Hossegor-Capbreton-Seignosse, France, this May 24 to June 1. To gain entry on the team, competitors will face the same rigorous ranking requirements.
“The World Games, both of them, will raise the level in every single division because the surfers will see the guys in the Open and be motivated and want to one day be them,” Ureña said. “It won’t matter what age they.”
As to Ureña and the Board of Directors of the Federacion de Surf, they will have their hands full this year working on the Circuito and getting ready for the World Games here in Costa Rica in August. However, they are ready for the challenge with Randell Chavez and Alex Valdarde taking over the CNS, as Ureña takes more of a role for the World Games.
Meanwhile, Ureña and Valdarde took on even more responsibility when they were in Portugal for the 2008 World Games. They both now have the ability to certify international judges for Surfing Australia and ISA licenses. “They can take the whole training with us and then take the test and wait a month and get their license card. That was part of our recognition from ISA. They really want us to develop Central America in this area,” Ureña explained.
On a final note, by the end of 2008, the CNS will have a computerized system for judging. It will be the most advanced system available, putting the tournament at the next level of competition. It is the same judging system using in the ASP, and Costa Rica will now be the only country in Latin America to have a computerized judging system.
La Fundación Acción Joven (FAJ) named our local boy—and Costa Rica’s ambassador of surfing - Federico Pilurzu (photo above) director of the I Torneo Guanacasteco Intercolegial de Surf that takes place December 13 in Tamarindo and is supported by the Guanacaste Chamber of Commerce (CATURGUA). This surf contest is a between public schools in Guanacaste, and is sponsored by Adrenaline Rush.
The idea for the contest began last April within Villarreal and Veintesiete de Abril High Schools, two facilities which Pilurzu supports. Now, with the additional support of the Municipality of Santa Cruz, the contest will take place.
Pilurzu emphasized that the contest will serve to discover new talents in a province that already has a great amount of beaches apt for the practice of surfing and where this sport comprises the “hook” for tourism.
“The promotion of new values is a fundamental part of any sport,” Pilurzu said. “For that reason, the contest is so important. In addition, in my personal case, I hope to be able to contribute something of my knowledge and international experience to offer advice to the new generations.”
Incriptions for the contest can be made by calling 2271-4407 or 2271-4409 of on December 12 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Blue Trailz Surf Shop in Tamarindo.
Speaking of Blue Trailz, Wim Van Cleynenbreugen, owner of that shop, Costa Rica’s sole distributor of Surftech surfboards, is now the exclusive distributor of Surftech’s Standup Paddleboard line in Costa Rica. Blue Trailz will carry 13 different SUP Surftech models, ranging from $1,200 to $1,600, as well as the attendant paddles, leashes, traction, and the shop will offer clients the all-important personal instruction to the sport. This makes Blue Trailz the Standup Paddleboard Surfing headquarters in Costa Rica.
To date, according to Van Cleynenbreugen, Blue Trailz has been contacted by clients who are curious to know primarily what the Surf Shop is carrying in stock, and secondarily if they will give lessons. Addressing the first need, Blue Trailz carries the following SUP Paddleboards:
• The famous Laird Hamilton model simply called “Laird,” ranging in length from 12’1” to 10’0”, nominated Board Model of the Year in the 2008 SIMA Image Awards
• The Donald Takayama-designed Alii I, II, III and IV Performance Paddleboards, which range from 11’6” to 10’3”
• The thin, low volume 11’0” and 12’0 Munoz Paddleboard models with crossover capable of Standup or surfing like a classic longboard
• Steve Boehne’s Infinity Kuku Hoe 11’0” and 10’0” thick, high volume Paddleboards, excellent for larger athletes or newcomers to the sport
• The legendary Robert August-designed 11’0” model designed in the classic Wingnut longboard style
• The 9’0” soft exterior Blacktip Paddleboard that’s super wide and has a thick template for beginners.
Blue Trailz will also make available to the Costa Rican public three paddles including the introductory crossover The Venture, the premier flatwater paddle called Nautical, and the large surface area blade for strong and aggressive paddlers, the San-O.
While Standup Paddleboard Surfing has found a comfortable home in the Hawaiian water thanks to the likes of Laird Hamilton and other beachmen there, it’s only now with Blue Trailz that the sport has come to Costa Rica. SUP is a solution to the lifelong problem of what to do when the waves won’t cooperate for a surf session. No worries—grab your SUP and elevate yourself over the small wave or paddle in the rivermouth or lake. SUP is the evolution of surfing providing freedom from the frustration of bad days, and liberating the boardman or woman from the confines of the lineup, if one chooses. It’s a great core workout as well.
Instruction is a key element of SUP in Costa Rica, because according to Blue Trailz’s Van Cleynenbreugen, this new sport must be undertaken in a “controlled environment. Imagine a typical surf lineup invaded by a few SUP surfers manning these 25 lb boards. You’d want them to be under control out there.”
Near Blue Trailz headquarters in Playa Tamarindo, its enclosed bay is perfect for beginners’ lessons, while Playa Avellanas, about 20 minutes south, features a variety of reef, beach and estuary breaks offering the Standup Paddleboard Surfer more practice. Imagine riding SUPs, looking at the gorgeous scenery both on the shore and in the water from the top down.
“Most Americans living down here are familiar with the sport from back home, or learned about it from reading surf magazines,” explained Van Cleynenbreugen. “And, the locals are discovering it from the guys in the lineup.”
“With the paddling in its repertoire, Standup Surfing is also a good alternative exercise for kayaking,” Van Cleynenbreugen added. “It’s a great workout, and of course, it gives you a beautiful vantage point of the ocean while you are standing up looking down at it.”
So far, Blue Trailz has sold Costa Rica Standup paddleboards and equipment for a variety of areas in the country including Papagayo, Jacó and the Caribbean side. Certainly, with the country’s two oceans and miles and miles of coastline, the potential of Costa Rica SUP surfing is limitless.
