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Gonzalo Lizano, one of the pioneers of surfing in Costa Rica, tells us about his early days.

Surfing Costa Rica - Surfing with Gonzalo Lizano.

We bring you a new section where we will present national surfing figures with a great history and many years in the board sport, where they will tell us about what those times were like when they started in this sport and tell us historical anecdotes, with you this is “Old is Cool” .

When did you start surfing?

It was in the summer of '76 and '77, my grandparents lived in Puntarenas in front of the El Caracol dance hall on the Paseo de Los Turistas, a very famous place at that time facing the sea.

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano surfing somewhere in Costa Rica.

What was surfing like back when you started?

In those early years, it was very difficult to get the equipment to practice surfing; there were no surf shops. We made leashes out of pharmacy tubing, and the roads were impassable; only Doña Ana and Tamarindo were decent. Those were times of pure passion and the heart of true warriors; they were few and far between, and almost all of them were from San Pedro and San José.

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano surfing somewhere in Costa Rica.

What difficulties did you have surfing at that time?

Access to the points was easy, and there were no reports of swells, but we still summited on 90% of our trips. Plus, there were the accessories, as I mentioned before.

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano surfing somewhere in Costa Rica.

Tell us a couple of anecdotes from those days?

I could tell you thousands of anecdotes, but the trips to Santa Rosa Park were truly all legendary because of its surroundings, waves, sunsets, animals, and the remoteness of that time. Without a doubt, the first few years were excellent, with or without waves, because exploring was always a gain, and that's how we learned about the different swell seasons, the winds, and atmospheric pressure. Back then, it was very difficult to get to Limón; we had to go through Turrialba and head to Playa Bonita. The first time was in February, and the waves were 4 to 6 feet high—a dream! When I got back to San José, I told my friends, and we went back 15 days later. The tide was enormous; the sea was coming into the streets, with waves at Playa Bonita reaching 10 to 12 feet. I remember we broke two surfboards in 45 minutes, and I had to swim out through what they call "Tumbos." Without a doubt, it was one of the best spots in Central America. Now it's totally different; few surf it after the 1991 earthquake, and they call it "Tiger Land".

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano surfing in the Caribbean of Costa Rica.

What were tournaments like back then?

The first tournaments in the Caribbean were held at Playa Bonita in the eighties with many activities, concerts, excellent waves and of course a Caribbean Style atmosphere.
In the Pacific, the first event was held at Playa Langosta, and it was the only one because there was absolutely nothing like it except in Tamarindo. It was an epic, Woodstock-style affair with 50 participants and their families, plus event organizers, supporters, and attendees. It was like a week-long event with 80 to 100 colorful tents.
We were the first professional surfers in Costa Rica because there were teams, there was the "Levis" team, the "Precision" team where I was, and we believe it was the first surf shop in a central valley, where these brands sponsored our trips, boards, uniforms; it was truly an epic tournament organized by Don Mario Sotela and channels 2 and 6. Without a doubt, this First National Tournament in Langosta, Tamarindo marked an era.

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano surfing somewhere in Costa Rica.

Where did they get their wave forecasts back then?

Back then, we didn't know much about forecasts since we mostly surfed Doña Ana and Barranca, and there were usually always waves. Later, we went to Langosta Beach and noticed that it worked with offshore winds, so we started marking the dates on the calendars. This was mostly done by the locals who needed to be more methodical with dates because they surfed these spots. However, we in San José already knew that the northerly winds were in Guanacaste during the summer, and in December, January, and February, we realized that Limón was the best spot with the cold fronts. Later, we learned that the South Pacific was good in March and April, and the Central Pacific was good for the winter.

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano surfing somewhere in Costa Rica.

How have things changed to this day?

For many years, surfing was a passion, a way of life, more spiritual and not as commercial as it is today. The changes are like flipping a coin, with more professional wave reports and an entire industry of 35 million surfers worldwide searching and fighting for waves and new spots to practice without fellow surfers.

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano surfing somewhere in Costa Rica.

What do you think should exist in national surfing today?

Today, all surfers in Costa Rica should unite and become one force to develop better athletes, because now it's an Olympic sport and we need to make history with reality and have an orderly future.

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano surfing somewhere in Costa Rica.

Do you have a message for the new generations?

I tell you to persevere with nature; it's a sport of total contact with nature, it's a lot of fun, and you have to respect nature to continue enjoying it with great passion. Sincerely, the "Tube Man" of the eighties—this is the nickname Frank Mora gave me in tournaments.

Surfing Costa Rica - Gonzalo Lizano in Doña Ana.

Written by: Enrique Hernández

General Management: Marco Montero