Surfing Costa Rica - The National Surf Pre-Selection team travels to Pavones Beach to continue training for the World Championship in El Salvador
The National Surf Pre-Selection continues its training in search of the best team to represent our country in the World Surf Games El Salvador 2021 and on this occasion, the popular left-hand break of Playa Pavones will host the best of Costa Rican surfing.
This year, 2021, the number of athletes in final training for the World Games was reduced, as they sought more Olympic berths. Currently, the Costa Rican team does not have an official, permanent coach, since the Costa Rican Surfing Federation has not yet submitted its annual application for the position, pending budget approval. However, the preliminary team remains under the guidance of Australian Michael Horrocks, who serves pro bono.
This training session, which will take place in the first few days of this week at Pavones Beach, will be attended by Carlos Muñoz (athlete), Jair Perez Quiros, Noe Mar McGonagle, and Esteban Chaves, who will be taking Anthony Fillingim's place in this training session, as Fillingim is unable to travel to the South Pacific for personal reasons. The women's team for this practice consists of Nataly Bernold, Leilani McGonagle, and Coral Wiggins.
An interesting fact about this final pre-selection is the possible selection of Nataly Bernold as the national representative, who, along with the Costa Rican Surfing Federation, is awaiting final documentation from the International Surfing Association (ISA) that will grant the surfer permission to wear the national colors again.
The World Surfing Games El Salvador will take place from May 29 to June 6 and will be the last opportunity for Costa Rican athletes to seek an Olympic spot for Tokyo 2020.