World Surfing Championship Puts CR On The
Global Sports Map
(InfoWebPress) – The recent World Surfing
Games that took place in the Central Pacific
beaches of Jacó captured the attention of
fans of this popular sport from all around
the world.
With the support of the Costa Rican Surfing
Federation (FSC) and the International
Surfing Association (ISA), the Billabong
World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009 were a
great success, attracting the main surfers
from around the planet, thousands of
visitors and hundreds of media outlets.
The championship was held July 31 through
Aug. 9 in Playa Hermosa, near Jaco, which
was selected by organizers due to the great
and constant waves there this time of year.
Teams from 40 countries convened for the
competition, which was watched live by 80
million people all over the globe.
Costa Rica was picked to host the World
Surfing Games over surfing superpowers such
as Brazil and South Africa, in addition to
other nations that hoped to organized the
world’s most important surfing competition.
The kickoff ceremony included athletes
parading through Jaco’s main avenue,
followed by a “sands of the world” ceremony
with representatives from all participating
countries dumping sand from their own home
beaches in Playa Hermosa.
Reasons mentioned by organizers of the
surfing games for picking Costa Rica this
year included the country’s organizational
capacity, as it has attended all world
competitions with full teams; and the
country’s geographical position, which
allowed all delegations from the Americans
to participate.
“The fact that the World Surfing Games were
held in Costa Rica this year helps us with
our tourism promotion, as millions of people
were following the competition, while
participants and their delegations were able
to enjoy the natural riches of our country,
which is considered one of the world’s top
10 surfing destinations,” Tourism Minister
Carlos Ricardo Benavides said.
Some 200,000 people from various countries
come to Costa Rica every year to surf. They
also come to vacation with their significant
others, hiking, watching the country’s
diverse flora and fauna, visiting volcanoes,
birdwatching, snorkeling and engaging in
many other activities that help stimulate
the local economy. |
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