Surfing associations that make up the Costa Rican Surfing Federation will vote for a new Board of Directors at an assembly to be held at the National Stadium.

On April 23rd, a general assembly will be held with the associations duly registered with the Costa Rican Surf Federation, in which the new Board of Directors of the federated entity will be elected for the next 4 years.

The following points will also be covered at this meeting:

- President's Report
- Treasurer's report
- Prosecutor's report
- To deregister the Pacific Coast Surf Sports Association
- Election of a new directory
- Various topics

Currently, the Surf Federation of our country is made up of seven associations, all of which were consulted about their work. They are: Randal Chaves (San José Wave Riders Association), Eduardo Mena (Bodyboard Association), Mike Castro (Limón Educational Surf Sports Association), Natalia Vindas (Adapted Surf Association), Diego Calvo (Boca Barranca Surf Association), Verónica Quirós (Santa Teresa Surf Association), and Michael Bomm (Skimboard Sports Association).

San Jose Wave Runners Association - President, Randall Chaves:

What projects does your association currently have?

The pandemic has forced us to restructure in every way. We want to work on getting children and young people involved in sports as a family, with the support of the Association to teach them the basics of surfing, organize camps in small groups, and for those who wish to work hand in hand with various organizations and institutions on beach cleanups and tree planting, among other projects that are currently being developed.

What future projects do you have planned for the national surfing pro?

The challenge for the new Board of Directors is to find, by all means, the best possible conditions for national surfers. Currently, we are processing a concession agreement with the Municipality of Garabito for Playa Hermosa to create a high-performance center that is self-sustaining in every way and, most importantly, will greatly benefit our athletes. Mayor Tobías Murillo has been supporting us, and progress has been made since 2019, when the President of the Republic signed the law establishing National Surf Day. We are also working with the National Learning Institute (INA) to have them offer Surf Instructor courses, which will be a significant asset for the country in terms of tourism and safety, as these instructors will also receive training in first aid and water rescue. We know that the United States had alerted our authorities about the people drowning on our coasts, and if we manage to make this happen, we could project Costa Rica as a better tourist destination. This will bring more foreign people to visit our coasts, which would generate more jobs.

What are your expectations for the upcoming elections of the Federation's Board of Directors?

Those who remain should give their best effort, because those of us who truly love this sport seek to contribute positively, with the goal of building a better Federation. It's a very rewarding task, but it also requires patience and the ability to withstand criticism, often unfounded.

Which of your associates will be running for the new Board of Directors?

We've been analyzing several candidates with suitable profiles for each position. We still have a few more days to finalize our nominations, as it's not just a matter of them saying they want to be on the Board, but rather understanding what they will contribute.
Back in 2015, we had a negative experience when we gave people outside the team the opportunity to be part of the Board of Directors, which is why we are now more meticulous when choosing who will be part of our proposal.
Let's remember that we need a team that can move forward, not people who just want to be seen or criticize without any basis and without knowing anything about the Federation's statutes and Law 7800, which is fundamental to the management of any Federation in Costa Rica. This includes the proper procedures between the Federations and ICODER (Costa Rican Institute of Sports and Recreation). Furthermore, of course, they must know about the sport, since it's not just about surfing and offering ideas; it requires work and results. It demands a lot of time and dedication, and they must be available for meetings and other responsibilities that come with each position on the Board of Directors.

Limón Educational Surf Sports Association - President, Mike Castro:

What projects does your association currently have?

Currently, the Association has several programs, among which we can highlight the Blue Flag Ecological Program, which it has maintained for the past four years. Thanks to this, the Association has facilitated community beautification through beach cleanups, green area maintenance, signage, and ongoing education for children and young people on the subject. Another program is "Surf Therapy" through the "Waves and Smiles" Foundation. This program uses surfing to motivate children, young people, and individuals with disabilities, including autism, to foster positive behavioral changes. This is achieved through empathy, affection, and comprehensive care, which is provided to 150 children and young people. This care includes specialized services such as psychology, social work, primary care, and regular medical appointments. We also have a Surf Team with 17 children and young people who receive guidance on competition, technique, tactics, and athletic conduct, in collaboration with their parents. Finally, we offer open training clinics for competitors under 18 years of age in the province of Limón.

What future projects do you have planned for the national surfing pro?

We would like to bring the Waves and Smiles initiative with "Surf Therapy" to all coastal communities in the country, strengthening the sense of belonging among young people and motivating children to join the surfing family in a holistic way, with a solid foundation and strong values. The most important thing is that we all contribute to building good people who are empathetic and believe that social work is the path to a better future. This effort has led to the emergence of many young competitors, individuals who contribute to the sport of surfing and to coastal communities. If given the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors, we would seek to restructure and strengthen the program, providing full support to the junior leagues, as well as creating better opportunities for the ambassadors who are currently representing us. Next, if God grants us the opportunity, we hope that no Costa Rican under 16 years of age will have to pay any registration fee. This is because the government has already covered the costs of the seven events in the national circuit through ICODER (Costa Rican Institute of Sports and Recreation). Therefore, this would be the most incredible way to contribute to the growth and development of new representatives at the national and international levels, as well as the creation and expansion of merit-based scholarships for athletic and academic achievement. The only categories that would charge a registration fee are Juniors and Open, and this would be to reward the top four finishers in each event, thus motivating their hard work and reducing some of the financial burden of attending a national circuit event. The circuit would be open to international competitors, but they would have to pay in all categories. Finally, we would support the leaders and associations that are already supporting the sport. These organizations deserve all possible attention and support to ensure their activities continue and to encourage the creation of comprehensive support programs.

What are your expectations for the upcoming elections of the Federation's Board of Directors?

The expectation is that, together and in a very transparent manner, we will choose people who will contribute, propose ideas, and build together. That's the expectation; ultimately, we are all friends here, and that's what's beautiful. The work we do in different areas must be supported, strengthened, and nurtured. The Federation should have a comprehensive, inclusive, and equitable approach across all disciplines because, in the end, each one saves lives through sport, so no one is more important than another. For this reason, all the projects of the Associations must be strengthened so that they continue to impact the lives of children, young people, high-performance athletes, and people with disabilities.

Which of your associates will be running for the new Board of Directors?

From our Board of Directors we are going to propose Mr. Michael Castro, president of the Limón Educational Surf Sports Association (ADSEL) and Director of the Waves and Smiles Foundation, as president.

Crinvert Bodyboard Association - President, Eduardo Mena:

What projects does your association currently have?

We are focusing on reactivating the National Bodyboarding Circuit, which, due to the national pandemic, only held one event in March 2020. The Salsa Brava Challenge was a great success; however, it was the only event we were able to complete according to the schedule. Since then, exactly one year has passed without official competitions for the athletes. Our priority is to provide opportunities for both athletes with international potential and emerging talent.

What future projects do you have planned for the national surfing pro?

Many projects, all designed to improve the level of our athletes, include regional qualifying tournaments for the National Circuits. This will strengthen regional associations so they can manage these competitions with support from the Federation. These tournaments will be free of charge and will greatly boost new talent, who are often discouraged from participating in national events due to the cost of competition.

What are your expectations for the upcoming elections of the Federation's Board of Directors?

To be able to incorporate a representative of Bodyboarding into the Board of Directors.

Which of your associates will be running for the new Board of Directors?

From our association, we will nominate Mr. Eduardo Mena, president of the Costa Rican Bodyboarding Association (ABCR), for a position on the Board of Directors. We believe it is only fair that we have direct representation on the Board. Our association has been supporting the sport for 10 years through the National Circuit and various free, inclusive classes for beginners and advanced students, as well as courses on sports nutrition, sports psychology, and more.

Adaptive Surfing Association - President, Natalia Vindas:

What projects does your association currently have?

We have projects in our three areas of focus: High-Performance Competition, with participation in national and international tournaments; Recreational Surfing, offering adapted surfing lessons for people with various disabilities, both national and international; and finally, Surf Therapy, providing activities where children, youth, and adults can have their first experience with adapted surfing as part of a therapy and/or rehabilitation process.

What future projects do you have planned for the national surfing pro?

In support of national surfing, we plan to continue working on the growth of surfing for people with disabilities, supporting current athletes, raising awareness of surfing as a Paralympic sport, and promoting greater participation of people with disabilities in surfing, both competitive, recreational, and therapeutic.

What are your expectations for the upcoming elections of the Federation's Board of Directors?

Our expectations for the upcoming elections of the Federation's Board of Directors are that there will be continuity in administrative management, with greater emphasis on sporting processes.

Which of your associates will be running for the new Board of Directors?

None of our associates intend to belong to the Federation's Board of Directors.

Boca Barranca Surf Association - President, Diego Calvo:

What projects does your association currently have?

Our goal here in Boca Barranca has always been to popularize the sport by holding open clinics for people from the province, Orotina, and other places who visit us. Our overall focus is on increasing participation. At a competitive level, the situation in Boca Barranca is a bit different, since this spot doesn't have waves year-round like other beaches. While it's true that the wave season is in winter, it's not constant. So, our main idea is to broaden the sport so that people from other areas will visit us.

What future projects do you have planned for the national surfing pro?

Due to the current situation in the country with COVID-19, we are closely monitoring the government's announcements, and until we have a clear path forward, we cannot finalize anything concrete, as health is the priority. However, this situation currently prevents us from doing more, since our focus is on popularizing the sport of surfing, and we cannot work with very large numbers of people. Despite this, we have worked with small clinics, and they have been well received.

What are your expectations for the upcoming elections of the Federation's Board of Directors?

Our expectation is that one representative from each association will be on the Board of Directors, and we hope that those who join will be responsible and passionate about the sport. We know it won't be easy, and the new members have a big task ahead of them given the current situation, where I believe Costa Rica's priority right now is the upcoming World Surfing Championship in El Salvador and securing more Olympic berths. We wish the new Board every success and hope everything goes smoothly.

Which of your associates will be running for the new Board of Directors?

We are still evaluating the incorporation of a member of our Association to the Board of Directors; we know that there is little time left, but we will be making a decision in the next few days.

Santa Teresa Surf Association - President, Veronica Quirós:

What projects does your association currently have?

We run monthly camps for children from the local area and surrounding regions, where we teach them the values ​​of good sportsmanship, as well as techniques and tactics depending on their skill level. This is all made possible thanks to the help of local instructors such as Anthony Filllingim, Ramon Taliani, Esteban Chaves, Arisha Griotti, Veronica Quirós, and others. We've also revived the local circuit that we've been running since 2006.

What future projects do you have planned for the national surfing pro?
We aim to teach the values ​​of a good sportsman to new generations and revitalize the local circuit.

What are your expectations for the upcoming elections of the Federation's Board of Directors?

I hope we make the right decisions when choosing our next Board and that any changes will benefit the continued growth of surfing, as has been happening so far. The person who joins the Board must have the time and skill to represent their position with all the tasks and duties it entails, and very importantly, continue with the process and protocol that we, as a Federation, have been working on with excellent results.

Which of your associates will be running for the new Board of Directors?

Our association will nominate Pablo Filingim and Verónica Quirós.

Skimboard Sports Association - President, Michael Bomm:

What projects does your association currently have?

Currently, the Skimboard Sports Association is with the National Skimboard and Balanceboard Circuit, there are 3 dates left (May, August and November).

What future projects do you have planned for the national surfing pro?

In the future, the idea is to promote Skimboard Flatland, bringing the beach to the city and reinforcing it with Balanceboarding, thus planting that "bug" in the city to enjoy and practice beach sports.

What are your expectations for the upcoming elections of the Federation's Board of Directors?

The current president of the Costa Rican Surf Federation, Randall Chaves, always guided and helped us with any questions to achieve the incorporation of Skimboarding and Balanceboarding into the Federation. We only hope for the same from the new Board of Directors: that they continue to be just as receptive and collaborative, and that we can carry out the projects that each association has in mind, in order to promote the sport, help the communities, and of course, be able to hold more international-level events in each branch of the Federation.

Which of your associates will be running for the new Board of Directors?

It was planned that I (Michael Bomm) would run, however, by my own decision I prefer to take some time and dedicate it to my family and other personal projects.

Written by: Enrique Hernández

General Management: Marco Montero