The reigning ISA World Surfing Games champions will defend their title on home turf from August 6-14 in Playa Jacó.
Last year, Costa Rica claimed the team gold medal from 27 nations, edging out Portugal and the United States. Pavones native Noe Mar McGonagle brought home the individual gold medal.
This year, more than 130 surfers from up to 30 countries are expected to attend the event, which is being held in front of the Best Western Jacó Beach All Inclusive Resort.
This event marks the first time the games are held in Costa Rican waters in seven years. According to the International Surfing Association (ISA), the 2009 ISA World Surfing Games in Playa Hermosa went down in history as one of the most-attended ISA World Championships ever with over 100,000 attending the week-long event.
Randall Cháves, president of the Costa Rican Surfing Federation says, “We envision a record-breaking world championship like in 2009, but above all we envision an extraordinary opportunity for tourism by showcasing the waves, athletes and people of Costa Rica.”
Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to descend upon the 2.5 mile (4 km) long beach known for offering some of the best surfing in Costa Rica.
Surf tourism is on the rise in Costa Rica. According to CRSurf.com, 20% of tourists come to Costa Rica for the surfing. That’s 400,000 visitors and about $830 million dollars coming into the country’s economy.
More information available at https://www.isasurf.org/events/world-surfing-games/
