Trofeo Vista Villa

CNS Costa Rica
Guanacaste Playa Tamarindo
17 - 18 December 2005

Local Isaac Vega has advantage in Trofeo Vista this weekend

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 11 December, 2005 : - - Tamarindo, Costa Rica   –  Antonio Pilurzu, head of Costa Rica’s Federacion de Surf, announced today that  the second date of the 2005-06 Circuito Nacional de Surf will take place this weekend, December 17 and 18 at Guanacaste’s Playa Tamarindo.

Called Trofeo Vista Villas, the tournament begins each day on the beach at 6 a.m., and approximately 200 competitors from Costa Rica, as well as from around the world, are expected for this 4-star contest stop, where the 1st-place winners in every category will receive 1,500 total ranking points.

The confirmation of the Trofeo Vista Villas in Tamarindo is especially good news for the town’s current rising surfing star, Isaac Vega, whose knowledge of these waves, local currents and wind could work towards his earning a second Open win.

Last month, at the Pinilla Classic in Avellanas, Vega surprised everyone by not only making the finals with three other up-and-coming surfers (Jaco’s Luis Vindas and Jason Torres, along with Pavones’ Durby Castillo), but besting them all for the 1st –place crown.

Now, with Tamarindo the stage, and Luis joining his sister Lisbeth Vindas as well as another Jaco pro, Diego Naranjo in Puerto Rico for a Asociasion Latinamericana de Surf’s (ALAS) Latin Pro contest, all the pieces are in place for Vega to grab another win. Torres, leader so far of this year’s Junior category, returns to Tamarindo where he trained in the past before taking his year-long sabbatical.

He will be Vega’s closest challenger, as well as 2001-02 CNS Champion (and Tamarindo local) Federico Pilurzu, who returns from California where he just made the quarterfinals in Event #3 of the 2006 Matix/Sun Diego Pro-Am Surfing Series in La Jolla.

 “I need to take advantage of this situation by surfing well in Tamarindo, and continuing to concentrate, too, because this is a lot of pressure,” Vega confirmed. “I think getting the crown here is possible because I have a lot of knowledge about the Tamarindo waves, and I want to earn those points. That way I can get a more comfortable lead in the Open ranking.”

“It’s still a long way for the big victory, but I’m going to keep going, contest by contest, slowly. I’m going the right way to get the title when the season is over,” he added. At the completion of November’s CNS in Playa Avellanas, a few other surfing stories began that will continue at the Trofeo Vista Villas this weekend.

Lisbeth Vindas, who surprisingly placed 3rd last month, has left a vacancy in the Women’s Open category, and with two of the strongest contenders for the crown also from Tamarindo—Dottie West and Justine Javelle—the race will be one to watch. Coming in from Playas Esterillos are the Rancho Coral team, including the Pinilla Classic Boys winner Danny Bishko, Grommets champ Carlos Muñoz and his brother, Mini-Grommets leader Alberto Muñoz.

They, too, will attempt to keep theirs top rankings, and have been pursing “aggressive strategy” under the tutelage of  2002-03 CNS Champion Gilbert Brown, from Puerto Viejo.  “I started living in Jaco beach where I also work now. I travel to Rancho Coral on Saturdays to train the kids theory, and give them physical workouts.

The goal is to make some champions. We are starting to see some positive results,” said Brown, who just  last added to his training team the Pinilla Classic Junior Women’s 2nd Place gal from Jaco, Lupe Gallucio as well as 4th place winner Ariele Weller from Canada.

Tamarindo Vista Villas is the main sponsor for the Tamarindo CNS date. According to Jeff Ruzick, manager of Tamarindo Vista Villas, “We wanted to be involved because now is the time to support the young surfers who have been putting in a lot of effort towards becoming champion. Man, they are getting results.

This is a key time to get behind them, stick with them and make sure some of the financial pressure is off so they can surf the best they can.”  Inscriptions for Trofeo Vista Villas will take place Friday, December 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Tamarindo Vista Villas, 653-0114. The price is c6000 for this date only, with c6000 to register for the entire year if you did not pay the annual fee at the Pinilla Classic.

“We were surprised and very satisfied with the number of registrants we obtained for the first contest in Playa Avellanas where we had 195 participants. Now, with this new opportunity in Tamarindo, we are sure that we will manage to surpass that number due to the enthusiasm of that last contest and the word that has spread about its success,” said Christophe Commarieu, co-founder of Costa Rica’s Federacion de Surf.

Vista Villas’ Crazy Monkey Bar will also be the site for Saturday’s party, featuring live music for the surf competitors and their guests, beginning at 9 p.m.

The international sponsors for Trofeo Vista Villas are Red Bull, Quiksilver, Roxy, Billabong, and Freestyle. Costa Rica’s sponsors are: Tamarindo Vista Villas, Mango Surf & Skate, Cala Luna Hotel & Villas, Hacienda Pinilla Beach Resort & Residential Community, The Backyard, Chuck’s W.O.W. Surf Shop, Shifi Surf Shots, Liquid Solutions, Bevy Media Corp, Fischer Bros Surfboard Designs, Banzaii, Carton, Teletica 7, 911 La Radio and Surfos Magazine.

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Ellen Zoe Golden

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