Javier Swayne : photo Gatica/ALAS

Reef Latin Pro Costa Rica

Asociación Latinoamericana de Surf
Jaco Beach, Costa Rica
10 - 12 November

The fight for the Latin pro title is on at the Reef Classic Latin Pro Costa Rica

La lucha por el título latino sigue candente en el Reef Classic Latin Pro Costa Rica  |  Espanol
A luta pelo titulo latino continua no Reef Classic Latin Pro Costa Rica   |   Portuguese

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 11 November, 2006 : - - Best Latin American surfers went to the water today at Jacó, for the competition day two of ALAS Latin and Caribbean Tour seventh stage, the Reef Classic Classic Latin Pro Costa Rica that was held on two to three feet waves.

Lots of close heats were available today on the Open second and third round and Junior Quarter finals. Specially with the rides of the favourites to gain this year title, Martín Passeri from Argentina and Jean Carlo Schaffer from Venezuela, that showed some nerve-wracking situations but ended up, competing on some heavy heats, but ended up making it through to the next round, leaving the title fight wide open. 

The first to compete was Schaffer, he stayed out of the qualifying zone quem until the heat was with 5 minutes to the end, when he destroyed a good left with a great backside approach to beat fellow country man David Díaz -third-. Isaac Vega from Costa Rica won the heat with a great perfeormance.

Once out of the water, the Venezuelan commented with relief: "I was feeling a lot of pressure on the heat, but I tried to forgot everything that was going on out of my heat and do what I needed to get through the heat. It was a close call, I almost lost my chance but thank God I got second. I think that I surfed OK but I could´ve don way better than that, anyway I´m happy."

Spectators : photo Gatica/ALAS

Passeri also started slowly his heat, facing an inspired Federico Pilurzu from Costa Rica and Ernesto Nunes from Brazil, staying in third on the first half of the heat, until he finally rode a good left and right that gave him the highest combined score of the round -15.33-. 

Also feeling a great relief after his heat, the Argentinean commented: "I spent all my day focusing to not feel pressure on my heat but at the moment of truth it´s difficult to stay calmed. I don´t want to feel that pressure but it´s there all the time; I want to be the Champ as much as Schaffer, so the vibe is not an easy thing to deal with. After I surfed my first wave I knew that I didn´t surfed it well so the judges gave me the score I deserved, so I said to myself "if you surf like this you´re not going to make it", so I took a deep breathe and everything changed after that. And I was lucky to get the waves I needed".

Just as happened at the ALAS Latin and Caribbean Tour last stage at Barbados, best second day of competition surfer was Diego Cadena from Mexico who performed greatly on his second and third round. Making the event highest combined score -16.5-, after he did an amazing backside grab air on a set wave that worth 8.67, and a 7.83 to leave ticos Nino Medrano -second-, Gilberth Brown -third - and Alfonso Vázquez -fourth-. On his third round heat, Cadena scored a 14.93 to beat Venezuela´s Rafael Pereira -second - and Mágnum Martínez -third- with a knee tear got third, so now he have no chances to win the Latin Tour title.

"It was a great day because I was able to do the highest scores and that kept my confidence hight to make it in first on the third round. I would´ve liked a most competitive heat, cause Magnum have a problem with his knee. So the heat was a no-prussure one", commented Cadena after his heat.   About the great aereal he did on the second round he said: "I loved that maneuver, I was able to get a high score with it and it was tough cause I dropped the wave and I had space to make only one maneuver, I decided to make the more difficult and was able to land it it". 

Frederico Piluruzu : photo Gatica/ALAS

Among other results, Costa Rican Federico Pilurzu, Jason Torres, Alvaro Solano and Isaac Vega did great performance to make it through the second and third round and will be joining to more ticos after the eighth heat of round three take place tomorrow, that will face Diego Naranjo, Nino Medrano and Juan Carlos Naranjo.

On the Junior division, 13 year old Carlos Muñoz from Costa Rica was once again a stand out after he did the highest combined score of his division and the third of the entire contest -15.6-, gliding fluently and aggressive on the waves he beat Jesús Chacón -second-, Mexicano Dylan Southworth -third- and his fellow country men Dexter Lewis -fourth-.

Also Rafael Pereira from Venezuela also did it well today, scoring 14.6 to win against the Peruvian Manuel Roncalla -second- and Costa Ricans Danny Bishko and José Calderón -third and fourth respectively-.

Today the traditional Miss Reef Bikini Open will take place, best all around feminine shapes will compete for 3.000 dollars. After that, a huge beach party wil begin. Tomorrow, the contest final day, will have all the heats of the Open, Ladies, Junior and Longboard. The Latin American Surfing Title can still be defined at Costa Rica.

The Reef Classic Latin Pro Costa Rica is posible thanks to the support of: Imperial, QFA, Tarjeta MC, cr2night.com, RQ, 104.3 FM, Freestyle, Copacabana Suites and Hotel, Rebeca Studio, Grupo PZ, PH and Clínica Estética Venus. Daily reports of the contest and high resolution pictures will be available for all the press. 

Previous reports:
# 1 : La Playa Jacó pronta para el Reef Latin Pro Costa Rica
# 2 : A Luta pelo campeonato latino começou Jacó Costa Rica
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

www.alaslatintour.com

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