Circuito Nacioal De Surf de Costa Rica, Copa Mango Winners
In a stunning show of confidence and glory, Germaine “Nino” Myrie took control of the Copa Mango in Playa Hermosa this weekend, and owned the waves.

The 2002-03 Circuito Nacional de Surf (CNS) Champion handily won what could be his last Costa Rican tournament for a while in conditions that organizers admitted were below average for the usually powerful beach break. However, Myrie’s commanding rides in 3 to 4 feet sets often seemed like flights, and it was these maneuvers that took him to the top of the Open division at this 3-star contest, where 1st place winners in all 11 categories received 1,000 ranking points.

Nino was joined in the Open winners circle by 2nd place Jose Rojas of Quepos, Jairo Perez of Jaco in 3rd place and fellow Puerto Viejo surfer — and 2001-02 CNS Champion — Gilbert Brown in 4th place.

“Always, when I get to the tournament, it’s my job to demonstrate my best, especially now that the surfing level in Costa Rican contests is very competitive” said the Volcom-sponsored Myrie, who now lives and works in Jaco. “The great satisfaction for me is that I won with a very powerful surfers like Gilbert, out there, who returned in great shape after a left knee operation. This result I have in my heart. I have big plans for this year, so that’s why it is very nice to start with this victory.”

Those plans include a three-month-plus long surf and photo trip that begins on the North Shore of Hawaii. Myrie will stay for over a month in the Volcom house, while Brown will reside in the Quiksilver home. Both places are near the famous Pipeline break. Later, the two surfers will travel to Bali for further surfing adventures. Adrenalina TV will be sponsoring the entire trip as well as filming the sessions for future airings on Fox Sports Net.

Perez’s 3rd position in the Open would have been quite the accomplishment on its own, but add to it the dual wins the dynamo got from taking 1st place of the Boys category as well as the Juniors category and Jairo was making history all weekend.

“We’ve seen Jairo developing into something very special out there each month, and in the international contests,” said Antonio Pilurzu, head of the Costa Rican Federacion de Surf. “Now, he’s just taking off like a monster and popping, snapping, so much power and style for a little kid. And he’s dedicated, training every single day.”

“I had a lot of desire to win 1st place Boys again once the Circuito ended in April last year,” Perez repeated the commitment he made at the very beginning of this year’s contests, though understating that he has already gone way beyond that target by moving into the Juniors and Open rankings. “In the beginning, I try to concentrate and try to attack in the right moments. This was a very important reason why I got to the finals.”

“We always try to take the best waves and I always go to the water to obtain a good result. This weekend, I felt a little pressure, but in the end I won with hard work,” Jairo surmised.

The women in Hermosa made news again as well. Laura Pecoraro of Playa Pavones, a popular competitor of CNS Womens Champion Lisbeth Vindas from years past, made a stop at the Copa Mango on her way to Hawaii to surf’ for a few months. She too surfed with experience to 1st place Womens.

In Junior Womens, the Colombian Angie Forigua became a three-time 1st place winner, having won all three CNS dates so far this year. Andreina Samudio from Jaco followed in 2nd, and the Galuccio sisters, Lupe and Malia from Hermosa were 3rd and 4th place.

“The girls competitions are getting better because of everyone’s training with Gilbert Brown and Andrea Diaz of Waves Costa Rica. You have to work hard if you want to be on the top,” said Forigua. In total, inscriptions at Copa Mango were 40 girls out of a total of 178 registered surfers to compete.

The Copa Mango marked the beginning of a three-date contest-within-a-contest format sponsored by Mango Skate & Surf Shop. The tournament in Playa Hermosa will be followed February 11 and 13 in Playa Dominical and then finished March 4 and 5 in Playa Nosara. Ranking points and prizes will be awarded to the winner of these three dates, as well as added to the overall rankings of the CNS.

Saturday evening there was a Mango Surf Party for the surf competitors and their guests at Jungle Bar in Central Jaco.

The international sponsors for Copa Mango are Red Bull, Quiksilver, Roxy, Billabong, and Freestyle. Costa Rica’s sponsors are: Mango Surf & Skate, Tamarindo Vista Villas, Cala Luna Hotel & Villas, Hacienda Pinilla Beach Resort & Residential Community, The Backyard, Chuck’s W.O.W. Surf Shop, Shifi Surf Shots, Liquid Solutions, Bevy Media Corp, Fischer Bros Surfboard Designs, Banzaii, Carton, Teletica 7, 911 La Radio, Surfos Magazine, Waves Costa Rica, Cabinas Arenas, Jungle Bar.

Results of Copa Mango (positons in order of 1, 2, 3, 4.)

Open Category
Germaine Myre, Puerto Viejo: 1000 puntos.
José Rojas, Quepos: 860.
Jairo Pérez, Playa Jacó: 730.
Gilbert Brown, Puerto Viejo: 670.

Junior Category:
Jairo Pérez, Playa Jacó: 1000.
Jason Torres, Playa Jacó: 860.
Carlos Muñoz, Playa Esterillos: 730.
David Herrera: Quepos: 670.

Boys Category

Jairo Pérez, Playa Jacó: 1000.
Carlos Muñoz, Playa Esterillos: 860.
Nikolas Ruhlow, Playa Carrillo: 730.
Juan Calderón, Playa Jacó: 670.

Grommets Category
José Calderón, Playa Jacó: 1000.
Michael Torres, Playa Esterillos: 860.
Carlos Muñoz, Playa Esterillos: 730.
Anderson Tascon, Playa Herradura: 670.

MiniGrommets Category:
Alberto Muñoz, Playa Esterillo: 1000.
Marcos Rojas, Mal País: 860.
Joshué Rodríguez, Playa Jacó: 730.
Parker Hundley, USA: 670.

Womens Category:
Laura Pecoraro, Playa Pavones: 1000.
Cristine Costa, Playa Jacó: 860.
Natalie Bernold, Playa Tamarindo: 730.
Andreina Samudio, Playa Jacó: 670.

Junior Womens Category
Angie Forigua, Playa Hermosa: 1000.
Andreina Samudio, Playa Jacó: 860.
Lupe Galluccio, Playa Hermosa: 730.
Malia Galluccio, Playa Hermosa: 670.

Longboard Category:
Rónald Reyes, Playa Hermosa: 1000.
Teal Akerson, Mal País: 860.
Fleury Emilsen, Playa Esterillos: 730.
Juan Diego Evangelista, Playa Tamarindo: 670.

Master Category:
Louis Maresca, Playa Tamarindo: 1000.
Edward Gerry, Playa Jacó: 860.
Alex Galluccio, Playa Hermosa: 730.
Chuck Herwing, Playa Jacó: 670.

Bodyboard Category:
Iván Castillo, Quepos: 1000.
Carlos Jiménez, Quepos: 860.
Alex Jiménez, Quepos: 730.
David Wettstein, Puerto Viejo: 670.