World’s largest gathering of over-35 surfers

Magnum Martinez © ISA/Rommel Gonzales

ISA World Masters Surfing Championships

International Surfing Association
Montañita, Ecuador
6 - 14 April 2013

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ISA World Masters Surfing Championships Begins Soon | espanol

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 22 March, 2013 : - - From April 6-14, Ecuador will become the gathering place of the world’s best Masters Surfers (over-35 years old), who will compete in the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship (WMSC) in the high-performance right point break of Montañita.

The world´s largest Masters Championship begins in two weeks. Over 20 countries and 150 men and women surfers will soon arrive in Ecuador’s surf capital and warm beaches of the South American country.

These are the ten things you need to know about the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship:

1. The Event

The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship gathers the best Masters surfers from every continent to compete for their National Teams in an “Olympic-style” event. The surfers compete for medals and the honor of representing their respective countries.

2. The Competition

The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship is a team competition with individual age divisions. The divisions include Men’s Masters (over 35), Grand Masters (over 40), Kahunas (over 45) and Grand Kahunas (over 50), and Women’s Masters (over 35).

Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Copper Medals will be up for grabs for the top finishers in each division and the coveted Eduardo Arena Team Trophy will be awarded to the Gold Medal National Team.

3. The Participants

Over 20 National Teams and 150 men and women are expected to compete. The following breaks down the number of athletes that a team can field per division:

2 Men’s Masters (over 35)
2 Men’s Grand Masters (over 40)
2 Men’s Kahunas (over 45)
1 Men’s Grand Kahuna (over 50)
1 Women’s Master (over 35)
4. The History

The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship is an annual event, in its sixth year of existence. The ISA introduced the Masters event in 2007 in Puerto Rico and it has taken place every year except 2009. Following Puerto Rico, the ISA WMSC moved to Peru in 2008, Panama in 2010, El Salvador in 2011, Nicaragua in 2012 and the latest edition, Ecuador in 2013.

Last year’s Champions include:

Team- Hawaii

Men’s Masters- Magnum Martinez (VEN)
Men’s Grand Masters- Sunny Garcia (HAW)
Men’s Kahunas- James Hogan (USA)
Men’s Grand Kahunas- Javier Huarcaya (PER)
Women’s Masters- Rochelle Ballard (HAW)

5. The Venue

Montañita is the surf capital of Ecuador. It is located at 195 kilometers WNW from the big city of Guayaquil, or a two and a half hours drive on the highway that runs along the North side of the province of Santa Elena.

Facing straight West on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, Montañita is located just south of the Equatorial line (or latitude zero) that divides the two hemispheres of our planet.

The main surf break at Montañita is a rocky bottom, right-hand point break that is exposed to any Pacific ocean swell generated from Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The waves can vary from 2 to 12 feet high, but a typical swell is between 6 to 8 feet and produces waves over 100 yards of clean, perfect surf.

During April, the swells are beginning to shift from the north to the southwest typically with perfect, glassy conditions. The water temperature at this time of the year is around 28° C. or 82° F.

The coastal town has developed a vibrant surf community that attracts surfers of different cultures from all over the world. The area not only offers great surf but also local culture, rich culinary cuisine and beautiful warm beaches.

6. The Mission

The ISA’s mission is to develop the sport of surfing in Ecuador, and the ISA has partnered with it’s member, the Ecuadorian Surfing Federation and the country’s Ministry of Sport, who are together working for a better surfing future.

7. The Schedule

The sixth edition of the championship will officially open on April 6 with the traditional ISA Opening Ceremony, which will include the Parade of the Nations and Sands of the World Ceremony.

The Parade of the Nations is a colorful and energy-filled event, complete with teams chanting, waving flags and the cheering of the locals who come out to watch the spectacle.

The Sands of the World Ceremony symbolizes the true fraternal spirit that bonds together all members of the global surfing tribe. The union of the countries of the world in this Ceremony is symbolized through the mixing of the sands from the shores of all participating National Delegations, showcasing the ISA desire for a better and peaceful world.

Important dates to note:

April 6- Parade of Nations, Sands of the World and Opening Ceremonies
April 7- Competition begins
April 16- Final day of competition, Awards Presentation and Closing Ceremony
8. The Facts

The 2013 ISA WMSC marks the third ISA World Championship hosted in Ecuador. In 2004, the World Surfing Games and in 2009 the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship took place in the country.

9. The Prize

For this event, and after 41 years missing, the original Eduardo Arena Trophy has been reintroduced as the “Eduardo Arena World Team Championship Trophy.” The sterling silver trophy depicting a breaking wave and a surfboard in the curl will be awarded to the ISA Masters World Champion Team.

Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Copper Medals will be awarded to the top finishing teams and individual athletes in each division.

10.The Expectation

Big names in surfing will be competing in Ecuador including defending ISA Grand Masters Gold Medalist and 2000 ASP World Tour Champion Sunny Garcia (HAW), defending ISA Masters Gold Medalist Magnum Martinez (VEN), defending ISA Women’s Masters Gold Medalist Rochelle Ballard (HAW), and 2011 ISA Women’s Masters Gold Medalist and 7-time Women’s ASP World Champion Layne Beachley (AUS).

The results from all the divisions will deliver the points for the overall team ranking and winner of the Eduardo Arena Team Trophy. The trophy is named after Eduardo Arena who is the founded the ISA in 1964.