National Surf Champion Isaac Vega Finishes First in Pinilla Classic
At the end of the first day of the second date of the Circuito Nacional de Surf (CNS) in Playa Avellanas, Costa Rica’s 2005-06 National Surf Champion Isaac Vega moved into the Quarterfinals of the Pinilla Classic.

With offshores blowing from the 7 a.m. start through to the finish, skies remained sunny in front of the beach inside Hacienda Pinilla Beach Resort and Residential Community, on the north side of Avellanas.

The waves were only about 2 to 3 feet, but Vega showed that he’s an experienced pro, and with hometown advantage - he’s from nearby Tamarindo - he joined 77 other surfers who had registered for the Pinilla Classic in vying for 1st place wins that would earn 1,000 ranking points in this three-star contest.

“The waves were a little small, but it was possible to make good maneuvers that served well enough to call the attention of the judges,” Vega said. “In my 2nd heat, I had a little more challenge from Marcelo Matos. But, from the start, I know that those rivals are an opportunity. I hope to be Champion again, and I know that every in very contest, the Circuito grows, and I am always training harder to face any level of competitor.”

Once again, Costa Rica’s National surf tournament registered an international surfing star with 2005 Women’s World Longboard Champion Kristy Murphy from San Diego, California. Murphy, however, opted to make her contest debut in the Women’s category, surfing on a specially-crafted 80’s-style tri-fin 6’0 board made by her sponsor Siren Surfboards.

“I was pretty nervous because the waves were quite small and it’s harder to paddle a shortboard than a longboard. Then I noticed a couple that worked well, and I was able to go down the line with a few nice maneuvers. I’m blown away with the win and really stoked for tomorrow,” Murphy recalled after she aced 1st place in her heat and moved to the Semifinals

Other competitors in the Women’s division Semifinals, and those that Murphy will likely face tomorrow, include 13-year-old powerhouse Nataly Bernold of Tamarindo (member of the #8-in-the-world-ranked Costa Rican National Surf Team), Erica Valverde of Jaco, and Debbie Zec of Dominical (a frequent finalist from last year). In total, 16 females registered for the Women’s category.

“I always want to be 1st place, and I’m really happy that I started very well this year on the Circuito,” expressed Nataly, pointed to her Junior Women’s 1st place trophy last week at the Copa Mango Boca Barranca. “Now, I must make an even stronger effort to win 1st place in the Women’s tomorrow. That triumph could be in my favor, since I am from Guanacaste and know Avellanas’ wave pretty well.”

Among the names of excellent competitors today in Avellanas, Brazilian Cassio Carvalho came up in the finals of both the Open and the Masters (the latter for surfers 35 years and older). Jaco’s Diego Naranjo, an Association of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series competitor as well as National Surf Team Member, fell out of Open competition today, but will continue the strides he’s made with Longboard in those Finals. Both Carvalho and Diego will join the other remaining athletes (listed below) tomorrow morning, at 7 a.m., once again at Playa Avellanas inside Hacienda Pinilla Beach Resort and Residential Community, just north of the estuary.