COSTA RICANS REST AS THE 2008 QUIKSILVER ISA WORLD JUNIOR SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP DELAYED YESTERDAY IN FRANCE

COSTA RICANS REST AS THE 2008 QUIKSILVER ISA WORLD JUNIOR SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP DELAYED YESTERDAY IN FRANCE

COACH DIEGO NARANJO INTERVIEWED

by: ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN/The Bevy EllenZoe@aol.com 800-548-1753

Hossegor , France May 28, 2008 – The action at the third day of competition yesterday at the 2008 Quiksilver International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC) in Hossegor , France was stopped in the hope that the waves would improve their conditions and a swell would come in today. Scheduled, but delayed, were the series of Costa Ricans in repercharge, leaving that for today, as well as the surfers who are in the primary rounds.

According to the official website of the WJSC, ( www.isaworldchamp.com ), the director of the event, Marcos Buko, decided to call the event at 3:30 p.m. ( France time). He noted that predictions showed a radical change in conditions which would allow the series to continue today.

Thus, the Costa Rican National Juniors Danny Bishko, Anthony Segura and Rudy Jiménez, and the Boys Carlos Muñoz, Anthony Fillingim, Jose Calderón, and Mykol Torres, and the Girls' surfer Debbie Zec—all in repercharge—will be competing today beginning at 8:00 a.m.

In an interview with the Technical Director of the Costa Rican National Junior Surf Team, Diego Naranjo—who is also the 2006-07 Costa Rica National Surf Champion—discussed the situation of the team.

How would you describe the work of the Costa Rica National Junior Surf Team at the moment?

DIEGO NARANJO: I believe they have done very well. It has paid off that they are learning discipline and are competing against athletes of high performance, understanding what they need to do little by little. Nevertheless, we have much work to do. We began a little badly, but on the second day, we did better and already have more confidence and we will continue to improve in the next days.

What are the levels of surfers from other countries present here in Hossegor?

DN: The levels are the best in the world, the crème de la crème of the surfing world of the Junior category. No country kept back anyone, and certainly there are the next candidates of the WCT (World Championship Tour) here.

Jairo Pérez is demonstrating a lot of international experience. Is he destined for more?

DN: Jairo is motivated. The more heats he enters, the more he advances, the more motivated he becomes, because he knows that he has the same level as the other surfers. But the difference is that he must not lose, and that he has much to demonstrate to the world. Simply, it is an opportunity to rise as a professional and he seems to be taking advantage of that. The first two heats here were the best ones we had every day, until the ones with the three or four girls advanced the day before yesterday.

How do you feel the girls confront their challenge?

DN: With the girls, I am very happy. They demonstrated more attitude than some of the boys, and although one girl went to repercharge, they all worked within their heats. All surfed with a lot of desire, and they realized that anything is possible in their heats. Advancing gave them more confidence, both to them personally and to the whole team.

2008 COSTA RICAN NATIONAL JUNIOR SURF TEAM:

Juniors (Less than 18 years of age)

Jairo Pérez: 18 year old, from Jaco, 2006-07 Costa Rica National Junior Surf Champion; 2007 Central American Junior Champion

Rudy Jiménez : 17 year old, from Santa Teresa, 2007-08 #4 CNS Junior, #3 CNS Boys

Anthony Segura: 16 year old, from Esterillos, 2007-08 #13 CNS Junior, #3 CNS Boys

Danny Bishko: 16 year old, from Esterillos, 2007-08 #8 CNS Junior, #2 CNS Boys

Orlando Solís (substitute): 18 year old, from Jaco, 2007-08 #9 CNS Junior

Boys (Less than 16 years of age)

Carlos Muñoz: 15 year old, from Esterillos, 2007-08 Costa Rica National Junior Surf Champion, 2007-08 & 2006-07 Costa Rica National Boys Surf Champion

José Calderón: 16 year old, from Jaco, 2007-08 #7 CNS Junior, #6 CNS Boys

Mykol Torres: 16 year old, from Esterillos, 2007-08 #19 CNS Junior, #4 CNS Boys

Anthony Fillingim, 14 year old, from Malpais, 2007-08 #7 CNS Boys

Anthony Segura (substitute): see Juniors above

Junior Women's (Less than 18 years of age)

Nataly Bernold: 15 year old, from Jaco, 2007-08 & 2006-07 Costa Rica National Junior Women's Surf Champion, 2007-08 Costa Rica National Women's Surf Champion, 2008 Central American Women's Surf Champion

Debbie Zec: 17 year old, from Dominical, 2007-08 #2 CNS Junior Women's, #5 CNS Women's

Anastasia Patterson: 15 year old, from Límon, 2007-08 #4 CNS Junior Women's, #10 CNS Women's

Lupe Galluccio: 15 year old, from Playa Hermosa, 2007-08 #5 CNS Junior Women's, #9 CNS Women's