COSTA RICA’S NATIONAL SURF TEAM ARRIVES IN PORTUGAL FOR 2008 ISA WORLD SURFING GAMES

SCANDAL OCCURS WHEN IBERIA AIRLINES DEMANDS OVER $3,500 FOR TRANSPORT OF SURFBOARDS; TICOS FORCED TO ABANDON EQUIPMENT IN SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA’S JUAN SANTAMARIA AIRPORT

COSTA DE CAPRICA, PORTUGAL October 10, 2008 by Ellen Zoe – After a long flight of 12 hours, the Costa Rica National Surf team has arrived in Costa De Caprica, Portugal, in the region of Almeda, where they are prepared to compete in the worldwide event par excellence, the 2008 International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games (WSG) that will take place October 11 through 19, 2008.

The Ticos arrived with just their luggage to a house rented by the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica (FSC), located less than five minutes from where the competition will be carried out. The lack of equipment was due to an airport snafu that occurred in San Jose, Costa Rica. When the team arrived for their check-in they discovered a different policy from Iberia Airlines requiring more than 2,000,000 colones (or over $3,500) in additional fees for their surfboards. The surprise was that the airline was determining the fee not by weight, as was the normal custom on such occasions, but by surfboard. For the ISA WSG, the recommendation is for each competitor to bring at least three surfboards, which for this Iberian flight boasted the tariff tremendously, and forced the team to leave their tools at the airport.

“We are surprised at the treatment towards a national selection,” said José Ureña, President of the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica. “Nevertheless, it’s an ill wind that does nobody any good. For the World Games that will take place next year in Costa Rica we will have to work on this and give our recommendations to the other country’s national selections so they choose airlines that best serve their needs.”

In addition, the technical body of the FSC is worried overall on the subject of airport fees on surfboards and what it represents for surf tourism in Costa Rica. At present, surf tourism represents more than 20 percent of the total of tourism in this country.

After the National Selection was forced to abandon their surfboards at Juan Santamaria Airport, they boarded their plane from San Jose to Madrid, flew eight hours, then connected to Lisbon for another four hours, and arrived in Portugal jetlagged. The team ate dinner, and retired for the evening.

Nevertheless, the Costa Rica National Surf Team arrived to good weather to train today, with three days of anticipation and power to run the waves where the ISA World Surfing Games will be carried out.

MEET THE COSTA RICAN NATIONAL SURF TEAM:

* Nataly Bernold: WOMEN’S 14 year old with 6 years experience from Playa Jaco; current Central American Women Champion and 2006 Costa Rican National Women Champion and 2007 Junior Women’s Champion; Sponsors: Roxy, Arena’s Surf Shop.
* Gilbert Brown: OPEN 25 year old with 15 years experience from Puerto Viejo 2007-08 Costa Rican National Surf Champion; Sponsors: Quiksilver, Maxx.
* Jimena Calvo: BODYBOARDING 18 year old with 4 years experience from Boca Barranca; current Costa Rica National Bodyboard Champion.
* Jeffey Gomez: BODYBOARDING from Playa Jaco. Details to come.
* Richard Marín: BODYBOARDING from Playa Jaco. Details to come.

* Diego Naranjo: LONGBOARD 26 year old with 17 years experience from Playa Jaco; currently Top 5 Asociacion Latinoamericano de Surf’s (ALAS) Latin Pro Tour. Sponsors: Billabong, Red Bull, Reef, Freestyle, Quique, Surf Shop, Byrne Surfboards.
* Jairo Pérez: OPEN 17 year old with 7 years experience from Playa Jaco; most recently the ALAS 2007 Reef Class Costa Rica Champion, 2006-07 Costa Rica National Junior Surf Champion; 2007 Central American Junior Champion; Sponsors: O’Neill, etnies.
* Jason Torres: OPEN 19 year old with 10 years experience from Playa Jaco; currently Central American Champion and hold’s Costa Rica’s only Pan American gold medal from the 2006 Games as a Junior; Sponsors: Quiksilver, etnies.
* Luis Vindas: OPEN 21 year old with 12 years experience from Playa Jaco; 2nd Place 2007-08 CNS; 2007 Costa Rica Triple Crown Winner. Sponsors: Billabong, Reef, Quique, Nixon.
* Lisbeth Vindas: WOMEN’S 26 year old with 13 years experience from Playa Jaco; this 6-time Costa Rican National Women’s Champion and WQS competitor is the 2007 Central American Women’s Champion. Sponsors: Billabong, Reef, Maxx, Arenas Surf Shop, Byrne Surfboards, OAM, Freestyle.

To view the Costa Rica National Surf Team in action at the 2008 ISA World Surfing Games go to www.isasurf.org

For more information about the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica go to www.surfingcr.net

FOR MORE INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS, PHOTOS PLEASE EMAIL EllenZoe@aol.com or call 800-548-1753.