This surf report brings information about the 5^th annual Circuito Guanacasteco de Surf, now with big-name sponsor KIA, took place last month in Tamarindo.  The winners of the Copa Witch’s Rock were Angelo Bonomelli for Open and Emily Gussoni for Women’s. They, and the other winners, earned points towards becoming the 2018 Guanacaste surf champion. In order to do so, they need to keep up the level at the rest of the CGS dates, which include o Marbella, Avellanas, Santa Teresa, before the finals in Playa Negra.

With this win, Bonomelli begins a journey towards becoming the province’s champion, alongside previous winners Isaac Vega (2013), Jason Torres (2014) , Tomas King (2015) and Anthony Fillingim (2016).

In Tamarindo, local boy Malakai Martinez, who came in 2^nd in the Open, won the Juniors category, along with a list of others below.

Thankfully, Tamarindo’s waves cooperated for the contest, starting the weekend at 2-3 feet and ending off near 4 feet for the finals. The consistent offshores also helped conditions.

The 2018 KA Circuito Guanacaste de Surf now features a scholarship program for surfers with good academic performances. The winners, who will have their inscriptions paid at each contest date, are: Axel Castro of Limón, Rachel Agüero from Jaco, Kenneth Peralta from Jacó, Yerald Montiel from Ostional and Bruno Moggi from Playa Negra.

The next date will take place in  Marbella on February 10 and 11 and is called the Copa Tiki Hut.

Surf report: Results Copa Witch’s Rock

December 16, 17, 2017

Open

1. Angelo Bonomelli
2. Malakai Martínez
3. Noe Mar McGonagle
4. Dean Vandewalle

Women’s

1. Emily Gussoni
2. Rubiana Brownell
3. Coral Wiggins
4. Zulay Martínez

Junior

1. Malakai Martinez
2. Dean Vandewalle
3. Aaron Alvarez
4. Tiago Leao

Boys Under 16

1. Dean Vadewalle
2. Jesús Pérez
3. Axel Castro
4. Tiago Leao

Girls

1. Rubiana Brownell
2. Rachel Agüero
3. Valeria Ojeda
4. Axel Castro

Boys Under 14

1. Kai Galé
2. Axel Castro
3. Teo Galé
4. Leo Apreda

Mixed Groms Under 12

1. Leo Apreda
2. Valeria Ojeda
3. Teo Galé
4. Ziggy Myrie

Dolphins Under 10

1. Nico Boos
2. Taj Ellen
3. Ashton Early
4. King Eyeben
5. Jayden Vargas

Not only does the Costa Rica national Adaptive surf team compete with various handicaps in the International Surf Association (ISA) World Adaptive Surfing Championships, but they raised the money to get to the even in La Jolla California last month. For the second consecutive year, the team sent someone to the podium. This year, Natalia Vindas won a bronze medal for 3^rd place Women’s AS 4.

Costa Rica was represented by 7 surfers in this event: Jonathan Barrantes, Ronald Obando, Ismael Araya, Juan Camacho, Matías Luna, Henry Martinez, and Vindas. The team laced 7^th, and with Vindas’ medal, Costa Rica is now in possession of four medals since they started participating in these event.

“For these athletes, there are four coaches for the functional diversity that each one has,” said the ISA trainer Gustavo Corrales. “They have different specialists in this discipline that complement the work and in this way they manage to adapt the sport of the waves towards the needs of each person and according to the category demands for the surfing world championship. There are also four assistants who help them with logistics assistance inside and outside the competition.”

Meanwhile, the chosen Costa Rica national surf team that went to their first-ever Olympic-related event, the Central America Sports Games, in Nicaragua. The group earned 4 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal. Those golds were earned by Carlos Muñoz in the Open, Leilani McGonagle in Women’s, the entire team medal, and the Tag Team.

Although the Central America Sports Games are legendary, this is the first time that surfing was including in its various competitions. The waves cooperated and were great, as were the Tico surfers.

“The fact that the Costa Rica team selected earned goal was because the level here was very high,” said Muñoz. “I have been in several Central American finals but here in Nicaragua was the first Olympic medal.”

Leilani added: “I am honored to be part of this team. I worked very hard to achieve this result, it has been a super good, fun team. Pura vida and thanks to all for the support.”

Prior to arriving in Nicaragua, Noe Mar McGonagle finished his WSL QS year with highs and lows at the Vans World Cup in Sunset Beach, Hawaii.  In Round 2, he earned the second best score of the day with a 9.0 from a well-timed tube ride that was the result of his knowledge of the wave.

“It’s been really fun the last few days at Sunset so I felt like finally I’m starting to get to know the wave better this year than the last 3 years I’ve been here, I feel really comfortable and I’m stoked,” commented McGonagle. As a native of Pavones, Costa Rica’s famous left, he had to adjust to the rights of Sunset Beach.

“It’s been my weakness my whole life so I’ve been working on it a lot,” McGonagle continued. “Spending a lot of time here in Hawaii helps, the waves are a lot more powerful. It’s paid off being here so many times and so many winters and putting time out here at Sunset, it’s paying off out here, finally.”

Althought Noe Mar did not pass from the next round, as you can see, for him, the contest was a success.