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…

We will be adding another category to the site which will be a temporary one. Many of our sites visitors have been asking for suggestions of hotel to stay at in Costa Rica and condos to rent in Jaco during the ISA Billabong World Surfing Games. The WSG 2009 begins on July 31st through the first week in August. This is a great time for many North American surfers and surf fans since they are on summer break and the prices here in Costa Rica are the Green Season rates.

We will have the category put up next week and will post individual projects that are willing to have a special price for this site. Whatever code is required to get the discount will be posted given to you after you send an email request to us. An un-official WSG 2009 site has been launched in English that might be of interest to some of you since many have written asking about more information about the games.

Honestly people, if there was more information I would post it but there seems to be very little and what I hear is just rumors. Check back to see the posting for the  World Surfing Games Rentals.

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…

We were finally able to get our hands on a compilation video from Maluca Videos. Thanks to Romy for this video! We have all of the top surfers here and I apologize in advance if anyone was left out. This is the top people from the 2008-2009 surf competition season. There are many surf contests in Costa Rica but it is the CNS DayStar COPA contest that determines the national champion. So lets give it a go:

Gilbert Brown, Jason Torres, Andres Montes, Mauricio Umana, Diego Naranjo, Carlos Munoz, Jair Perez, Nataly Bernold, Lisbeth Vindas, Luis Vindas, Nino Myrie, Rodrigo Froilano, Jefferson Tascon, Jose Angel Mantarrita, Anderson Tascon, Yosimar Fuentes, Juan Carlos Naranjo are all in this video. This list is not in any particular order of point standings or when they are shown in the video. Congrats to all of these excellent Costa Rican surfers!!

Big news this weekend out of Playa Guiones in Nosara, Costa Rica where the fourth leg of the CNS or Circuito Nacional de Surf for national championship was held. Jairo Perez beat Jason Torres who is the leader of the 2008-2009 DayStar’s CNS Tournament. Jason and Jairo both Jaco natives have known each other all of their lives, and have seen each other grow in their surfing skills. The powerful showing of Jairo whose determination proved he has what is takes to be national champion surprised fans and sponsors too.