Uruguay´s Marcelo Matos made an early trip to Colorado Beach at Hacienda Iguana to get a sense for the wave in anticipation of the Nicaragua ISA World Masters Surfing Championship. Photo: Matosfilms
Switzerland, Germany, Ireland and the Dominican Republic Among the Teams Recently Confirmed to Compete at Colorado Beach
Nicaragua ISA World Masters Surfing Championship
July 14 to 22, 2012
Colorado Beach at Hacienda Iguana, Nicaragua
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When competition begins at the Nicaragua ISA World Masters Surfing Championship on July 15th, there will be more than 130 surfers from every continent in contention. In total, 25 nations – some large, some small, some land-locked, some surrounded by water – will have their respective flag waving over the event site. All of these different nationalities and cultures will be part of an historic event occurring along Nicaragua’s pristine coastline in world-class waves at Colorado Beach at Hacienda Iguana.
The caliber of athletes ranges from national champions and local legends to former professional surfers and Pipeline Masters. There’s a level of prestige and honor that comes with representing one’s country in competition, as athletes do in the Olympics, especially in a World Championship that will feature the best over-35-year-old surfers (in five divisions) from around the world. While some teams will be sending a full team of 8 surfers, others will only be sending a single athlete or a few athletes to represent the country.
Five European countries will be sending teams to compete in Nicaragua. Ireland’s Mike Young finished ninth in the Men’s Grand Kahunas (over-50) division in Santa Catalina, Panama in 2010, and will be trying to improve on that result in the same division this year. Land-locked, Switzerland will be represented by Daniel Paez in the Men’s Grand Masters (over-40) division. Patrick Castagnet lives and surfs in Panama, but due to his dual citizenship, he will be representing Germany in the Men’s Masters division (over-35). Castagnet is a national champion in Panama and finished ninth at the ISA World Masters last year in Punta Roca, El Salvador.
“I am happy to have the honor of representing Germany once again in such a prestigious and important event for the world of surfing,” Castagnet said. “I was able to get a good result last year and I am hoping to improve that spot. It will be really exciting to compete in the amazing waves at Colorado Beach in Nicaragua; the waves there are awesome.”
Pascal Luciani, the president of the Tahitian Surfing Federation, will be carrying the flag for his country. A fifth-place finisher at the inaugural ISA World Masters at Rincon, Puerto Rico in 2007, Luciani has remained a contender for the podium every year he has competed.
Though Marcelo Matos has been living and surfing in Costa Rica in recent years, he’ll be representing the blue and white of Uruguay when he begins his first heat in the Men’s Masters (over-35) division. A former top-5 finisher on the national surfing tour in Uruguay and an ISA veteran, Matos should be able to represent his home country with dignity.
“I’m not just representing my country, I’m also representing all my friends who used to let me borrow boards, those who I shared many good times with, and those who gave me the motivation to go through much adversity,” Matos said. “I am realistic, I know that I will face former World Champions and Latin American champions, champions of many kinds; my personal goal is to make it through round one and then take it one heat at a time.”
The barreling beachbreak conditions in Nicaragua make for an ideal venue for the best over-35-year-old surfers in the world. Photo: Matosfilms
The Dominican Republic will have three athletes competing in two divisions in Nicaragua. Victor Peralta and Rafael Gonzalez will be surfing in the Men’s Grand Masters division, while Robert Reid will represent the country in the Men’s Grand Kahunas division. Reid has been close to winning a medal in past years, twice finishing in the top-10 of his division.
The athletes will be competing for individual medals, team medals and the perpetual Eduardo Arena Trophy, which will be awarded to the Gold Medal-winning team.
The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship will begin on July 14 with the Opening Ceremony, Parade of Nations and Sands of the World Ceremony in Rivas, and competition at Colorado Beach at Hacienda Iguana will commence the following day.
Team Dominican Republic Roster
Men’s Grand Masters
Victor Peralta
Rafael Gonzalez
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Robert Reid
Team Official
Nestor Puente
Team El Salvador Roster
Men’s Masters
Jaime Ernesto Delgado Aguilar
Diego Llerena Gallardo
Men’s Grand Masters
Rodrigo Barraza Dominguez
Francisco Rubio Romagoza
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Alfonso Alvarez
Team France Roster
Men’s Masters
Regis Blanchard
Charles Henri Philippon
Men’s Grand Masters
Olivier Salvaire (Team Captain)
Francois Gouffrant
Men’s Kahunas
Eric Graciet
Bruno Laharague
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Gilles Asenjo
Women’s Masters
Emeline Lopez
Team Germany Roster
Men’s Masters
Patrick Castagnet
Team Guatemala Roster
Men’s Masters
Daniel Lopez
Gerson Gomez
Men’s Grand Masters
Ken Layton
Pedro Pablo Vergara
Men’s Kahunas
Mario Estevez
Carlos Corado
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Jaime Garcia
Team Official
Walid Nasser
Team Ireland Roster
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Mike Young
Team Italy Roster
Men’s Masters
Giovanni Benetti
Maurizio Di Spirito
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Lorenzo Parmegiani
Team Jamaica Roster
Men’s Masters
David Lee
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Terrence Muschett
Team Mexico Roster
Men’s Masters
Hugo Camacho
Heriberto Ramirez
Men’s Grand Masters
Adrian Valenzuela
Julian Galeana
Men’s Kahunas
Brian Ramirez
Prospero Ochoa
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Osbaldo Chavez
Team South Africa Roster
Men’s Grand Kahunas
Martin Rennhackkamp
Team Switzerland Roster
Men’s Grand Masters
Daniel Paez
Team Tahiti Roster
Men’s Grand Masters
Pascal Luciani
Men’s Kahunas
Pascal Luciani
Team Uruguay Roster
Men’s Masters
Marcelo Matos
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running the Open Division World Championship since 1964, the World Junior Surfing Championship since 1980, the World Masters Surfing Championship since 2007, the World Bodyboard Championship since 2011, and the Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival in China and the World Standup Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship beginning in 2012. The ISA also sanctions the World Kneeboard Titles and the World Tandem Surfing Championship.
ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 71 countries on five continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro and re-elected seven times since. The ISA´s four Vice-Presidents are Alan Atkins (AUS), Karín Sierralta (PER), Debbie Beacham (USA) and Layne Beachley (AUS).
More on www.isasurf.org
About Gray Line Tours Nicaragua
Gray Line Tours is a leading tour operator in Nicaragua, and is affiliated with Gray Line Worldwide, which provides tourism services around the world. The company offers complete services in accommodation, transportation, tours, as well as the organization of congress and incentive travels (DMC). It offers quality and professional services, as well as personalized attention to its clients 24 hours a day.
Gray Line offers competitive rates and a wide range of products from nature and cultural packages to surfing and adventure programs. International surfing competitions in Nicaragua have been possible since 2010 thanks to Gray Line Nicaragua efforts.
