ELLEN ZOE:: FEDERACIÓN DE SURF

Playa Hermosa, COSTA RICA August 1, 2009 EVENING – When the closing horn blew at 4 p.m. today, the opening day of the Billabong International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009 had seen 48 heats completed between Round 1 of the Open and Women’s divisions at both Podium 1 and 2 in Playa Hermosa. And, according to José Ureña, President of the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica, the organizer and host of this event, he estimated that between those coming and going today, about 10,000 people showed up to kick off the first day of the biggest sporting event ever to hit Costa Rica.
 
“It was awesome,” Ureña said at the close of the day. “It’s always important to start off on the right foot, but we didn’t expect so many people.”
 
Those people got a glimpse of some of the biggest names in surfing today as Sofia Mulanovich, 2004 ISA and ASP World Champion, Australia’s Mick Campbell, an ASP professional surfer ranked 13th in the world and ISA Gold Medalist in 1998, and USA’s Cory Lopez, another ASP surfer who has been ranked Top 3 in the world. All passed their heats.
 
Undoubtedly, the most popular team on the beach today were the hometeam, the Costa Rica National Surf Team, 6 of which had Round 1 heats.
 
First up was Puerto Viejo’s Gilbert Brown, a veteran of the World Surfing Games. He knocked it out of the park right away with some serious and confident manuevering against Agrentina’s Lucas Santamaria, Trinadad and Tobago’s Che Lovelace and Austria’s Lazi Ruedegger.
 
Minutes later, 16-year-old Carlos Muñoz (Esterillos) took 1st place among Leandro Usuna of Argentina, Shane Haneman of Trinadad and Tobago, and Stefan Corbin of Barbados.
 
“I feel good about winning and surfing. It was normal,” Muñoz said later about the early sesson.

 
Luis Vindas of Jaco had his heat just after noon, and with assured familiarity of board and waves took another 1st place for Costa Rica. He beat noted Argentine Martin Passari, as well as Trindad and Tobago’s Keith Lewis, and Austria’s Chris Schnitzer.
 
The only 2nd place win for the Ticos came from Jason Torres (Jaco) who earned it in his heat. Still, the youngster passed to Round 2 and was pleased with the result.

The Women on the Costa Rica National Surf Team scored 100 percent today  in their heats showing the might of the female. Jaco’s Nataly Bernold, all of 16 years of age, whipped through her initial Billabong ISA World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009 heat with confidence, taking 1st place and  shaking out the likes of Argentina’s Maria Paz Usuna, El Salvador’s Esmeralda Lopez and Austria’s Julia Kremser.
 
Seven-time Costa Rica National Women’s Surf Champion Lisbeth Vindas showed the crowd how it’s done at her homebreak by quickly locking up 1st place against Tete Gil of Argentina, Jocelyn Ramos of El Salvador and Nikita Fizwilliams of Barbados.
 
“Costa Rica passed every heat, but we have a long contest ahead of us. Hopefully, we can maintain our rhythm. On the other hand, it’s a good message that we showed everyone today,” concluded Ureña.
 
LUIS VINDAS AT BILLABONG ISA WORLD SURFING GAMES OPENING DAY
PHOTO BY FABIAN SANCHEZ