COSTA RICA’S NATALY BERNOLD AND LUIS VINDAS TO SEMIFINALS OF THE 2008 ISA WORLD SURFING GAMES IN PORTUGAL

TICO TEAM IS CURRENTLY RANKED #6

COSTA DE CAPRICA, PORTUGAL October 16, 2008 – In uncompromising surfing exhibitions in quarterfinals of their respective Open and Women’s categories, the Costa Ricans Luis Vindas and Nataly Bernold today managed to advance to the semifinals of the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games (WSG) in Costa de Caprica, in the province of Almeda, Portugal. These performances puts them both right between the best 10 surfers in the worldwide ranking.

In addition, yesterday, the Costa Rica National Surf Team, with the sum of all their excellent results so far, before these spectacular new results, were announced as the 6 best country in the World Surfing Games. This situation will change—up or down—following the performance of the Tico Team today and the rest of the three days of competition. Above Costa Rica in the first cut of the ranking are Australia, Peru, Brazil, France and then the United States.

Today, near 10 a.m. local time, the Open quarterfinals began. Luis Vindas entered the water and in a magnificent upset, took 1st place, over Australia’s Matt Bemrose, who came in 2nd, and—surprise—United States’ Ben Bourgeois, who was 3rd, and Venezuela’s Rugby Colmenares, who was 4th. In front of the main podium, in precarious conditions with waves no more than 2 feet and offshore wind, goofy foot Vindas managed to open it up on his first best wave going left with strong snaps that still left him positioned at 3rd in his Heat. He needed a wave greater than 5.3 to move into 2nd place to pass, and was then presented with one that he attacked with vertical maneuvers and one brief aerial after advancing a complicated section. This gave Vindas more than 6 points, which afforded him the leadership of the Heat, 1st place, advancement to the semifinals, and a place between the best 10 in the world.

Probably even more noteworthy today, was the quarterfinal Heat of Nataly Bernold. At 15, the youngest person at the 2008 World Surfing Games, entered the water against Brazilians Camila Cassia and Barbara Muller, and the Australian Claire Bevilacqua at the same podium as the Men’s Open. At 3 p.m. local time, with a scrambled and disorderly sea with offshores that did not stop all day, Bernold found the first best wave of the day towards the left and then applied a strong bottom turn, bursting with force on the critical part. Her bottom turn, is without a doubt, according the Technical Body of the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica, “one of the finest,” and it attracted a high score from the judges of the World Surfing Games. In her second best wave, she used that same weapon, and took 1st place, with Cassia 2nd, Bevilacqua 3rd and Muller 4th.

Bernold advanced to the semifinals of the Women’s division.

In the Open repercharge today, Gilbert Brown, surfed to 1st place in Round 4 and advances again. Jairo Pérez and Jason Torres go to Round 6 repercharge, after falling out of the main game in their respective quarterfinals heats. Both Pérez and Torres will have to surf hard and well, and advance 4 more do or die repercharge Rounds in order to head back into the primary contest.

Diego Naranjo, who is in Round 2 of repercharge of Longboard, will have to advance 5 rounds more to see action again in the main tournament.

Today, the Bodyboarders of the Costa Rica National Surf Team hit repercharge again. This was the beginning, unfortunately, of the Ticos leaving competition for good. Richard Marin, as well as Walter Gatgens were both eliminated in Round 2 of repercharge. The Tricolor, however, will not be too badly affected, since this division adds less points towards the overall Costa Rica Team ranking.

And finally, a surprise upset, Lisbeth Vindas, fell out of her Round 2 repercharge Heat, and is out of the 2008 World Surfing Games.