Jaco, COSTA RICA December 20, 2009 – After a final that he dominated from the start, Jair Pérez won the first date of the Circuito Nacional de Surf DayStar called Copa Mango in his hometown of Jaco. Placing in front of the Puerto Viejan Gilbert Brown, the surfer from Montezuma Matías Braun, and Jaco’s Anderson Tascon, Pérez surpassed the expectations of his opponents by earning the highest points on a stunning right. Pérez, who was the leader during the first 12 minutes of the final with more than 13 points combined, then happened to lock-in the heat at minute 16 with that last right wave earning 8 points improving his results and making it impossible for anyone to catch him. With this win in Jaco, “the small giant of Latin America” gains his second Circuit Open 1st place trophy, the first being a 2008-2009 date in Nosara. Pérez scored an important Asociacion of Latinamericana Surfing (ALAS) Latin Pro Tour win in 2008, also in Jaco. For that date, he won $4,000. “The truth is I do not know how they let only me surf in that right that broke perfect and until the border. more…

Despite the heavy pressure from surfing powerhouses like Venezuela, the little, almost unknown 16 year old surfer from Esterillos Carlos Muñoz moved his way into a possible title position at the Billabong World Surfing Games in Playa Hermosa Costa Rica yesterday.

The weather conditions have ranged from scalding sunshine to raining like cats and dogs, along with surfing heats taking place in both high and low tides, Muñoz received two interference calls in two consecutive heats and still win. This is something that is almost impossible to get interference and then go on to win the heat is incredible. more…

A giant Parade of the Surfing Nations began the opening ceremonies of the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games at Jaco Beach this morning. In full “Olympic” style, over 34 nations in bright uniforms and flags flying, followed a colorful Costa Rican marching band down the main street of town, to the exited cheers of thousands posted along the parade route.

The parade finished in the Park of Jaco. There, ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, along with the Chief of the Costa Rican Tourism Department, Carlos Ricardo Benavidez, the Mayor of Garabito, Marvin Eliondo, the Manager of the ICE Group, Pedro Pablo Quiroz and the President of the Surfing Federation of Costa Rica, Jose Ureña, spoke in front of an enormous crowd of competitors and public. Billabong´s Marketing Vice-President Graham Stapelberg joined them. more…

Recently, we took notice of a website wsg2009.com which is relatively new. I don’t imagine the site has much of a future since it is dedicated to the upcoming ISA Billabong World Surfing Games here in Costa Rica this August. The site has been under a coordinated attack by the Costa Rica surfing federation which is the organizer of the WSG 2009 and the ISA, which is the association that gives credence to the awards the games issue, along with the surfer rankings.

This site has been interested for some time in posting information about the surfing games but like the site wsg2009.com has not been able to find any new information about the games. Apparently, they are being asked to remove logos which does not seem like a big deal but according to the website the logos they are being accused of using are not anywhere on the site. We notice that no mention of the sites intention to provide information about the surfing event is recognized or appreciated. more…

Once again, Carlos Munoz, the young star surfer out of Esterillos, Costa Rica who is only 16 years old won not only his category but swept them all. Carlos Munoz, who was picked up by Volcom not along ago won the Boys, Junior and Open categories during the fifth meeting of CNS DayStar COPA. This last weekend’s event was called the COPA Day & Night and took place in the beautiful Costa Rican surf spot Santa Teresa. Jose Urena said the showing of tourist and nationals to this fifth event demonstrates Costa Rica’s maturity in the international surfing community.  With Carlos, winning the open category this sets the stage for the final battle for national surf champion in Playa Hermosa on May 1 between Jason Torres and Federico Pilurzu. more…