CONTESTS

 

From - www.lasolashotel.com/soulstice.cfm - The Soulstice Open Expression Session is an annual surf contest created to bring the locals together in Playa Hermosa to develop programs that have a positive impact on the surf community. It takes place from June 21st to the 24th.

José Ureña, President of the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica (FSC), today announced the official selection of the Costa Rica National Junior Surf Team that will compete at the 2008 Quiksilver International Surfing Assocation (ISA) World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC) that will take place in Hossegor-Capbreton-Seignosse, France from May 24 through June 1, 2008. Read more ..

Gilbert Brown takes the crown in the last contest on the CNS in Playa Hermosa. Read more in spanish in La Nacion.. or English..

Here are the results from the first Bodyboarding Contest in Costa Rica. This Event was Held in Playa Hermosa at Terrazas del Pacifico last Sunday April 27th.

MEN'S OPEN 1- REINER MONTENEGRO 2-RICHARD MARIN 3-OSCAR ULATE 4-JOAN MOJICA	WOMEN'S OPEN 1-CINDY DIAZ 2-JIMENA CALVO 3-DINETH ARCE 4-ILIENNE LOPEZ	JUNIORS 1-RICHARD MARIN 2-BRYAN PEREZ 3-JEFRIE GOMEZ 4-ALBERTO VARGAS
DROPKNEE 1-DONALD BERGER 2-RICHARD MARIN 3-DANIEL BLANCO 4-FRANSISCO MENDOZA	MENS NOVICES 1-TONY CRUZ 2-ANTHONY FLORES 3-EDUARD SERRANO 4-CRISTIAN ROJAS	WOMENS NOVICES 1-VANESSA JENKIS 2-MELISSA SAMUDIO 3-CAROLINA ARAYA

The last stop on the Circuito Nacional de Surf is this weekend, April 25-26th, in Playa Hermosa behind the Terraza del Pacifico Hotel. Who will win the title for the year? It all will be decided YA! Read more ..

After winning her first Jr. Women's contest, Debbie Zec will be defending her home turf from last year's National Champ. Read her interview..

Luis Vindas wins the 5th contest of the FSC tour, held in Playa Carmen. Gilbert Brown takes the FCS crown in Open for the year. Read more ...

Costa Rica selects National Surf Team to compete in Panama on March 20-21st in Playa Venao. Read more...

The Puerto Viejo Open Surf Tournament for men, women, boys and girls will be held March 19, starting at 8 a.m., at the Cocles beach break. This will be a special Semana Santa tournament. For more information, call Beto at 885-9688.

Matias Braun and Lisbeth Vindas were the champions in Playa Nosara for the 4th stop on the CNS tour. Anderson Tascón wins Juniors. Read more..

Diego Naranjo wins the second contest on the ALAS (Latin American Surf Association) tour, held at Punta Rocas in Peru. Read more...

The sixth stop on the Costa Rica National Tour will be in Dominical on April 5th and 6th. The finals will be held behind the Terraza del Pacific in Playa Hermosa on the 26th and 27th of April.

ENVIRONMENT

SURFRIDER - Tamarindo Chapter News Check out the new website for Surfrider's Tamarindo Chapter If you're interested in Recycling in Tamarindo, click here.

From A.M. Costa Rica - Construction sites within the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas are facing closure by the government's Tribunal Ambiental, but local real estate brokers say that the situation is not as clear-cut as the tribunal suggests. Read more..

From the Tico Times: Campaign Yields 5,000 Signatures Against Marina.

An online signature campaign started three weeks ago opposing the construction of the Puerto Viejo marina has garnered 5,000 supporters, according to one organizer. Joaquín Arias, a Spaniard living in Ciudad Colón, helped start the campaign – known as Salvemos Puerto Viejo, or Let’s Save Puerto Viejo – and hopes to gather another 1,000 signatures before delivering the petition to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute. “(Puerto Viejo) is the most beautiful place in this nation,” Arias said, explaining his passion for the Caribbean beach town. Jan Kalina, planning director for Grupo Caribeño Internacional, said he was not aware of the campaign but doubted it would stop the marina.

From Greencoast.com: Op-ed piece explains recent community meeting in Puerto Viejo regarding the New World Eco-Marina.

Latin American Surf Tour's - Seven Ways to Help the Planet (in Spanish)

AyA To Build Sewage Treatment Plant in Jacó - from The Beach Times.

An executive decree issued by President Oscar Arias and Environment Minister Roberto Dobles last week shut off public access to public documents - from The Tico Times

Papagayo Hotel Dumps Sewage Into Estuary... read more

Puerto Viejo Residents protest marina built next to Salsa Brava, from www.amcostarica.com

Sign the petition to make the shark fin ban permanent. From www.pretoma.org

Osa Peninsula group to host Annual Earth Day Festival on April 20th, 2008. Read more..

To assist in research and protection of the Isla de Coco National park, which was declared a World Natural Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1997, a website - www.tuislacoco.com has been created.

Coalición Costarricense por las Ballenas - AYUDA A LAS BALLENAS, VISITA ESTE LINK Y LLENA CON TUS DATOS PERSONALES.. Costaricans for the Whales - Help the Whales by visiting this link and signing the petition.

TRAVEL

Thursday, May 1st is International Workers Day (Labor Day), so many governmental offices and businesses will be closed.

The road to Limón will be closed today as work crews continue paving on Route 32 between 9:00am and 3:00pm. The closure is from the toll station to río Sucio. The work on the road will continue until June as part of the Ministerio de Obras Publica y Transportes (MOPT) plans to make the road safer. Travelling to and from the Caribbean coast will mean detours on either the Turrialba-Siquirres or Vara Blanca-Sarapiquí routes. Travel to and from San José a Guápiles will mean a detour through Varo Blanco to the Río Frío, Sarapiquí exit.

Want a real good deal on a new stick, Chuck has a few 07s we are blowing out but they are selling fast, mention you saw this note on CRSURF and they will pass on some unreal deals ! Chuck and the CREW at Walking on Water Surf Shop in Jaco!

The Latest Scoop on Boardbag Fees

Here is a great new report on backpacker hostels, from www.amcostarica.com.

Check out a cool aerial view of the Southwest and Northwest Pacific coastline at www.vrskytour.com

Featured Hotels for Surfers

FORUMS

A good surf forum is judged by how well it gets the local community to participate. These are a few of our favorites. Send a note if there is one you would recommend.

Trip Advisor (general travel topics)

Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree Forum (worldwide)

Witchs Rock Surf Camp (surf around Tamarindo)

Surfing Nosara (surf around Nosara)

Puerto Viejo Satellite (the Caribbean Coast - new)

2nd Light (Florida surfers with lots of C.R. posts)

Dade County Surf (Florida surfers in between C.R. trips)