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Copa Mango hosts 180 competitors in Playa Jaco
by Ellen Zoe Golden
10/12/2007:// From his very first heat Saturday morning, with waves that often barreled 4-6 feet on the beach break of Jaco in front of Hotel Copacabana, it was clear to all in attendance this weekend at the Circuito Nacional de Surf (CNS) debut date, Copa Mango, that Germaine “Nino” Myrie wanted to win. Carlos Brenes, Editor of the Latin American surfing magazine Surfos, and announcer for the Copa Mango kept repeating similar statements whenever Myrie took to the water. “Myrie is hungry,” Brenes said in the semifinals on Sunday when Nino smacked the lip backside, once twice, then three times.
Yet, it was in the finals, which featured recent Pan American Surfing Games bronze medalist Gilbert Brown (Puerto Viejo), 2005 Pan American Surfing Games Junior gold medalist Jason Torres (Jaco) and the 2006-07 CNS Open Champion Diejo Naranjo that Myrie pulled out all the stops. Not satisfied with his 360 frontside maneuver which wowed the crowd, he came back shortly after with a backside 360 air and landed it perfectly. The result: Nino—the 2002-03 Costa Rican National Surf Champion—won the Copa Mango Open 1st place. Torres came in 2nd, with Brown 3rd and Diego 4th.
“I did all my heats whole and full force,” Myrie said right after the final. “I want to try and do well on all the Circuito dates this year and win it. It’s going to be hard because I also want to do the Latin Circuit (Asociacion Latinamericana de Surf [ALAS] Latin Pro) To do this, I have to focus and train. I feel really good about that final heat. I’m really content.”
Another veteran who returned to the spotlight was Jaco’s Lisbeth Vindas, who won the Women’s trophy, with 2006-07 CNS Women’s Champion Nataly Bernold placing second. (Bernold relocated to Jaco from Tamarindo this year.) Vindas, who on Sunday rushed from university exams to the water, making her heats with about three minutes to spare, thanked Bernold for challenging her, and keeping her own level of competition high.
Myrie’s and Vindas’ Copa Mango wins make them the latest veterans to pump up the CNS, a point that José Ureña, President of Federation de Surf de Costa Rica (FSC) believes draws youngsters into the contest system. According to the FSC, 180 surfers registered to compete for this first Circuito date, with contestants coming from all over Costa Rica including Limon, Pavones, Nosara, Malpais, Tamarindo, Dominical, and of course, Jaco. The categories which grew the most in numbers were Boys and Mini-Grommets Girls.
Naranjo said he was very impressed with the amount of young surfers he saw, particularly those between the ages of 8 and 10, “who charged the field, even though the waves this weekend were big. They pushed their level.”
In addition, one of the surprises of the Copa Mango was when shortboard aerialist Luis Vindas won 1st place in the Longboard category. According to Vindas, he had been watching his brother-in-law Naranjo on this board, and had been curious about it, but “never practiced” even though he knew the national team needed some help in that position. Earlier this week, Luis shaped his own longboard, and started riding. As expected, he performed airs, and received loud ovations from those on the shore.
“I’m surprised I won,” Luis said with his trophy. “I didn’t expect this, but I got good waves, so…”
Finally, at the end of the Copa Mango, the first two finalists for the Miss Surf Natural & Organics were named. Alexandra Vasquez won 1st place out of 5 other beautiful representatives, with 2nd place going to Kimberly Bondurant. These two young ladies will compete against the winners from the rest of those from the CNS dates in the Gran Final Terraza-Reef April 26-27 in Playa Hermosa for the grand title and $1,000. With $100, and wearing Wishes of Venus Designed bathing suits, Miss Surf Natural & Organic also were sponsored by Guajira Souvenirs and Salsiboy Surf Lessons.
The international sponsors of the CNS are Organics in America, Reef, Red Bull, Quiksilver, Roxy, Billabong, Op. National Sponsors include: 911 Groovy Radio, Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, Hotel & Resort Terraza del Pacifico, Bar & Restaurant El Tabacon, Hotel Playa Carmen, Quique Surf Shop, Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Co., Banzaii Surfboards, Banana Wax, Remax Surfside, Cala Luna Hotel & Villas, The Backyard Hotel, Mango Surf & Skate, Jass Surf Shop, Roca Bruja Surf & Skate Shop, Carton Surfboards, Chiclets Canopy Tree Tour, Gimnasios Platinum Fitness Center, Chuck’s W.O.W. Surf Shop, Shifi Surf Shots, Surfos Magazine, ICT.
The next date of the 2007-08 Circuito Nacional de Surf will be the Trofeo Op, January 12 and 13 at Playa Hermosa. For more information on the CNS, Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica and its Costa Rican surfers, please go to www.surfingcr.net.
Results of Copa Mango Circuito Nacional de Surf December 8, 9, 2007 Playa Jaco
Open Category Germaine “Nino” Myrie Jason Torres Gilbert Brown Diego Naranjo
Women’s Category Lisbeth Vindas Nataly Bernold Julia Minet Lupe Gallucio
Junior 1. Jairo Pérez 2. Anderson Tascon 3. Ariel Agüero 4. Danny Bishko
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