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Costa Rica Becomes A World Surfing Power in Portugal
(Infocom) — The end of the 2008 World Surfing Games in Costa da Caparica, Almada, Portugal, has left Costa Rica in a position few would think it would reach this soon: a world power in the sport of the boards and waves.

The Costa Rican National Surfing Team finished fifth in the globe’s most important surfing competition, trailing France only by one point in the overall scores and thus being denied a medal. The French accumulated 11,810 points, while Costa Rica reached a historical 11,818. Atop the bunch were Australia (17,238 points); the United States (14,284 points), and Brazil (12,610 points).

Costa Rica even beat the host, Portugal, which finished with a total of 11,310 points.

In addition to its surprising general qualification finish, Costa Rica placed third in the Tag Team competition.

Its fifth position in the tournament’s overall team category (the most important of the World Surfing Games) well overshadowed Costa Rica’s No. 8 finish in California in 2006 — when Limon-native surfer Gilbert Brown was the best Tico in the individual ranking, finishing 13th.

The World Surfing Games take place every two years. But its organizer, the World Surfing Association, has decided to make the event annual starting next year — when Costa Rica’s Playa Hermosa in the Central Pacific will host the global meet and the Ticos now considered favorites to get top honors.

The Portugal games also propelled three Costa Ricans to the top 10 international ranking: Jason Torres (fifth) and Luis Vindas (sixth) in the Open category; and Nataly Bertold, now sixth in the Women’s category. Torres’ fifth spot ties Peruvian Gabriel Villagran’s past accomplishment as the best finish by a Latin American surfer at a World Surfing Games. Villagran finished fifth in Ecuador in 2004.

The Costa Rican team had memorable performances right from the beginning of the tournament, which translated in the end to its fifth place.

In addition to the surfers mentioned above, Jairo Perez finished 22nd and Brown placed 29th. Lisbeth Vindas finished 25th in the Women’s category.

The rest of the Tico delegation included Diego Naranjo, in the longboard category; Richard Marin and Walter Gatgens in men’s bodyboard; and Jimena Calvo in women’s bodyboard. They were disqualified in either the first or second round.

World Surfing Games organizers said the 2009 tournament in Costa Rica — which will be held from July 30-August 9 — is poised to be one of the most memorable in the history of this increasingly global sport, with 50 national teams competing.

“I’m sure the games in Costa Rica will be the biggest in the history of the World Surfing Games,” said Fernando Aguerre, president of the World Surfing Association.

The planet’s new No. 5 surfer, Jason Torres, said he hopes Costa Rica can improve its performance next year when surfing in very familiar waters. “This give us confirmation that we can go very far competing in another country; but new year, at home, we have the great opportunity to really shine, as we have dreamed,” Torres indicated.

Costa Rica’s coach, Jorge Ureña, is already thinking this is the country’s great chance to snatch a No. 1 finish and ratify the country’s position as a surfing power. “We feel very motivated that are already being seen as a world surfing power,” he said. “Our rivals are now the greatest in the planet. Our next goal is to be world champions.”