Vindas Family Swee[s the Sixth Date of the
2005-2005 Circuito Nacional de Surf in Playa Jacó
Jaco’s own brother and sister duo, Luis and Lisbeth Vindas, each took
first place in their respective categories - Open and Women’s - in the
sixth date of the 2004-05 Circuito Nacional de Surf (CNS), which took
place this Saturday and Sunday in Playa Jaco.
Christened the “Grand Prix Mango” for its main sponsor Mango Surf &
Skate, the competition took place at the beach break across from Bohio
Boulevard in Playa Jaco, lasted from 6:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. each day.
According to Antonio Pilurzu, head of the Federacion de Tica Surf, among
the 130 surfers who traveled from Playa Tamarindo, Pavones, Puerto
Viejo, and Limon to compete, “All the best of Costa Rica was present
except for Gilbert Brown, who is in Limon nursing a bad knee, and
Federico Pilurzu and Ross Menking of Tamarindo who are both attending
University in California.”
Eighteen-year-old Luis Vindas, just back from international competition
in Peru where he placed second in the Red Bull Air Show, beat out both
last month’s Open winner Luis “Coco” Hernandez, as well as 2004 CNS
champion Alvaro Solano, with a wave that scored an impressive nine
points out of a possible ten.
“We haven’t seen a wave like that in a very long time,” explained Head
Judge Yeffrey Rojas. “Not only was the condition of the wave perfect,
but Luis did a 360 degree aerial off it which went straight into a deep
bottom turn, then hit the lip hard again, only to finish with a few more
turns. It was like a demo for the sport of surfing. Really
unbelievable.”
Lisbeth, also back from Peru where she competed in a World Qualifying
Series contest and placed 25th, took first on Sunday in the Women’s
category. Last month at CNS’s Dominical tournament, the heralded first
position was awarded to Hermosa’s Laura Pecoraro in Vindas’s absence.
Vindas is currently back in Costa Rica to finish out the CNS circuit
“with power’” she said, and emphasized her hope that the conditions on
the next two dates are good enough for her to score high and earn enough
points to win back her previous first place ranking and take the Costa
Rican surfing Women’s champion title for another year.
Both days saw Playa Jacó full of supporters out to watch the “Grand Prix
Mango” tournament with another main sponsor of the entire Circuito, 91.1
La Radio, providing music on the beach. Pilurzu reported that the waves
on Saturday started out small, only about one foot, with a very low
tide, but measured up to four feet late Saturday afternoon and Sunday
morning, leading to higher scores.
With only one more date left on the Circuito Nacional de Surf (April 9
and 10 in Nosara) before the finals in Hermosa (May 28 and 29), the race
for 2005 National Champion is on. In the Open category it is going to be
close between 2004 winner Solano, winner of the first three dates in
2005, and Luis “Coco” Hernandez also of Jacó who won the fifth contest
this year. Coming into the “Grand Prix Mango” weekend Solano was ranked
first with 5590 total points and Luis “Coco” Hernandez second with 3530.
In the Women’s category last year’s champion Vindas and Argentinean-born
Pecoraro will battle it out over the next two months.
There is a consensus among all the Circuito judges that both women are
surfing at a very high level as shown by their averages - Pecoraro 5025
and Vindas 4500. Jacó’s earned points will be tallied into these points
and new rankings posted this week at www.surfingcr.com.
Veteran surfers Casio Carvalho of Brazil and Jacó’s Gustavo Castillo
also competed over the weekend in the Open category. Carvalho, who lived
in Jacó for more than 10 years, formerly produced the surf and skate
television show “Surfos” which appeared on Channel 4 for a season in
1998.
Carvalho is married to a Costa Rican and it is for this reason that his
family now splits their time between Jaco December through April where
they operate a surf tour business, Action Tours, and his homeland of
Brazil at Playa Ferugem. Despite his 40 years, Casio Carvalho passed all
the way to the Semi-Finals where he competed against some men almost
half his age.
“I have everything from surfing,” Carvalho said of his great respect for
surfing and how he tries to teach the younger kids what surfing has to
offer them. “I competed when I was 17. I had a surfing career and now
businesses because of this. The surfing life can help you find so many
positive things for the future if you give it respect and have
discipline.”
Jacó’s Nacho Daddy Discotec hosted the “Grand Prix Mango” celebratory
bash for the competitors and their guests Saturday March 13th 2005 at 9
p.m. An impressive 1200 people attended the event where DJ Cole of Limon
spun reggae and hip-hop on the main stage and DJ Woody of Spain filled
the VIP Lounge with electronic house music until 4a.m.
Sponsor Mango Surf & Skate provided models showcasing the latest surf
wear. Circuito Nacional de Surf’s Cesar Vargas and Nacho Daddy’s manager
Brighton Truax said of the night, “We made a cool party for a relevant
event.” Jaco’s Backyard and Mango Hotel also generously donated lodging
for event organizers and the national press.
Other Circuito sponsors include: 91.1 La Radio, Quiksilver, Jammin' Surf
Camp, Carton, Banzaii, Mango Surf & Skate, Roxy, Cala Luna Hotel &
Villas, Tamarindo Vista Villas, Mohs, Dakine, Fischer Bros., Shifi Surf
Shots, Bevy Media, Jass, Surfos, and Red Bull.
Results in Playa Jacó:
March 12th-13th 2005
Open:
Luis Vindas-Jaco
Alvaro Solano-Jaco
Germaine “Nino” Medrano-Limon
Luis Hernandez-Jaco
Women:
Lisbeth Vindas-Jaco
Anna Garaway
Laura Pecoraro-Hermosa
Vanesa Bustillo
Junior:
Juan Carlos Naranjo-Jaco
Isaac Vega-Tamarindo
Ronald Brown-Puerto Viejo
Matt Chellemi
Boys:
Jairo Perez-Jaco
Rodrigo Froilano-Limon
Matt Chellemi
Nikola Ruhlow
Grommet:
Ariel Aguero
Rudy Jimenez
Carlos Munoz
Simon Wettstein
Mini-Grommet:
Carlos Munoz
Maycol Torrez Mueillo
Simon Wettstein
Manuel Diaz
Longboard:
Brennan Clarke
Danny Ryder
Esteban Leiton
Rick Thornsley
Boogie Board:
Marlon Sandoval
Carlos Jimenez
Walter Gatgens
Ivan Castillo
CONTACT: BEVY MEDIA CORP
Laura Sibley - [email protected] - 810-1493
Ellen Zoe Golden [email protected]
Maria Jose Cubero [email protected] 308-4158
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