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Costa Rica Wins Central American Surf Tournament

Costa Rica's surfing team brought home the winning trophy from the Central American Surf Championship. The surf competition took place in Playa Venao, Panama over the weekend. This is Costa Rica's third consecutive win in the tournament's three-year history.

Part of the team's success were Jason Torres and Nataly Bernold, both from Costa Rica's central Pacific Playa Jaco Beach. Winners of the Open and Women's division respectively, Torres and Bernold this year managed to make it to first after placing second in both 2006 and 2007.

“To tell the truth, I am very happy,” Bernold said in a Surf Federation press release. “I pursued this so hard, and after three years I made it. Now, I need to move ahead and get more international titles. That is my priority.”

The Open division’s final heat was filled entirely with Ticos. Torres, Matías Braun (Montezuma), and Luis Vindas (Jaco) stole the show.

This left Braun as the 2nd place finisher, who gave the public two days of spectacular surfing, including Saturday’s perfect 10.00 wave. “All at the end of the Open heat, I remembered everything in the past two years, and I thought, this time, I could not waste the opportunity to finally be #1 in Central America. And, I did it,” said a euphoric Torres coming out of the water.

The female Bodyboarder Jimena Calvo (Jaco) surfed excellent and won her first international title for Bodyboard Women’s. In the Men's Bodyboard division, Joan Mojica and Jeffrey Gomez (both from Jaco beach) also made it to the finals.

In Longboard, Ticos Cedric Auffret (Tamarindo) and Mauricio Umana (Jaco beach) did a great job competing for the trophies. However, 1st place went to Wilbert Alvarenga of El Salvador.

Coach Jose Urena, president of the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica and the Technical Director of the Costa Rica National Surf Team, did not hold back his enthusiasm. “We achieved the number one objective and that was taking home the title...we ARE the Central American Surf Champions and that is the reason we came!” said Urena.

Overall, host nation Panama finished second, followed by Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. 

Bus Schedules:  San Jose - Jaco Beach - Manuel Antonio - Quepos