Champions of the ALAS Pro Tour 2022 automatically qualify for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games where places for Paris 2024 will be awarded.

The ALAS Pro Tour 2022 will begin in Costa Rica, and in this article, Karin Sierralta, president of the ALAS Pro Tour and Pan American Surf Association, explains a little about the importance of the ALAS Pro Tour for the Olympics.

When does the ALAS Pro Tour 2022 start and why was Costa Rica chosen to take the first step?

The ALAS Pro Tour began 21 years ago. This year we have chosen Costa Rica to begin this important process for three fundamental reasons:

1- Costa Rica is a country that breathes surfing, there is a lot of surf culture and an important media that revolves around this.

2- Jacó Beach boasts excellent hotel infrastructure, a wide range of culinary options, and, importantly, consistent waves.

3- We have complete confidence in the event producer, Marco Montero, who has recently demonstrated his ability to put on great events. This championship will be a 1-star event, but we hope to increase its rating in the coming years, or perhaps even organize something else in Costa Rica this year.

Why is the ALAS program in Costa Rica important?

The ALAS tour is important for Costa Rica and all the countries in the region, as this year it serves as a qualifier for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. This means that the champions of the men's and women's open categories will qualify directly for Santiago 2023. Furthermore, it's important because surfing in Latin America has grown tremendously, and the tour not only helps you raise your competitive level but also offers media exposure in your country and the region to showcase your talent and potentially secure better sponsorships. You could say it's the first step towards the dream of becoming a professional surfer.

How many stages will the ALAS Pro Tour have this year and why is it important for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games?

This year we will have 10 stages, where 70% of these will count towards the ranking; that is, the 3 worst results will be eliminated, and in this way the continental champions will be chosen, thus qualifying directly for Santiago 2023. The athlete must have a good relationship with each Federation to be able to aspire to this benefit.

What is the importance of Santiago 2023?

These are the second largest multi-sport games in the world, second only to the Olympics. It's a huge event, but it also marks the beginning of the Olympic cycle, hence the importance of both events. The 2022 ALAS Pro Tour qualifies you for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, and if you win a gold medal there, you'll qualify directly for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, provided you meet the qualification criteria. In addition, there's all the media attention this entails, especially now that surfing is an Olympic sport and has the full institutional support of National Olympic Committees, National Sports Federations, and all the governing bodies of sports in each country. Remember, an Olympic sport is a priority sport. It's also important to clarify that the qualification criteria must be met, which are: first, the World Surfing Games of the International Surfing Association (ISA); second, the Pan American Surfing Games; and third, the ALAS Pro Tour. In other words, the results of ISA events will prevail over the PASA 2023 and ALAS 2022 rankings.

The first date of the Alas Pro Tour 2022 will take place in Costa Rica, on July 15 and 16 in front of the Selina Playa Jacó facilities and is expected to be one of the best surf events of 2022, and will also feature various activities including an international concert with the Latin American groups Gondwana, Los Pericos and Mekatelyu.

Written by: Enrique Hernández