Diego Naranjo Wins First Date Of Costa Rica’s  Ninth Annual Circuito Nacional De Surf Daystar 2008-2009 In Playa Hermosa
 
COPA MANGO HOSTS 180 COMPETITORS IN PLAYA JACO
 
PLAYA HERMOSA, COSTA RICA December 1, 2008 – At the very last minute of the Final heat with surfers Jason Torres (Jaco), Olman Morales (Santa Teresa) and Federico Pilurzu (Tamarindo), the 2006-2007 Costa Rica National Champion Diego Naranjo (Jaco) yesterday was victorious in Playa Hermosa’s La Curva, becoming the first winner of the 2008-2009 season of the Circuito Nacional de Surf 2008-2009 DAYSTAR Copa Mango tournament.
 
Naranjo accomplished his winning trophy task by the elimination of important candidates to this title in earlier rounds of Quarterfinals and Semifinals, including Argentinean Leandro Usuna, Ticos Jairo Perez, Luiz Vindas, Juan Carlos Naranjo (all of Jaco), Carlos Muñoz (Esterillos), Matías Braun (Montezuma), among others. In doing so, the former Champion reiterated his suitability, and ultimately, his surety, of running the waves for a win at La Curva in good conditions yesterday that stayed between 2 to 4 feet, breaking very well, with tubes that threw to both sides. During the end of the contest, in a day filled with rain, and a chocolate color sea, Diego killed his opponents like he knows how with a, fluid variety and ultimately his trademark frontside roundhouse maneuver.
 
However, this didn’t happen before the end of the first 15 minutes of the heat had passed in regulation, due to the frustrating, but excellent manifestations of both Morales and Pilurzu, who eventually came in 3rd and 4th, respectively. Of course, there, was also the impediment of Torres—just back from the 2008 International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games (WSG) in Costa de Caprica, Portugal, where he earned a super shot of confidence and a #5 in the world ranking.
 
Ultimately, the notations were not very high for any of the four finalists until Naranjo gave more to the judges with his particular style of run. With this gain of 5-star points, Naranjo begins his dream of harvesting a second National title that would, if realized, put him tied with Gilbert Brown and Alvaro Solano as two-time Costa Rica National Surf Champions.
 
“The public speculated that the Finals looked easy to obtain the 1st position, but with these rivals it was not easy, by no means,” assured Naranjo.
 
On the other hand, the revelation of this particular date might have been the fact that Morales reached the Finals at all. It was his first time in that spot in a Nacional Circuito date. Morales, a surfer that has been competing in the CNS for three years, demonstrated sufficient radical risk, according to officials of the Federacion de Surf de Costa (FSC), during this weekend’s competition, and made strong and concrete maneuvers. His rise to the Finals reflected just that. Today in his best wave, during the Quarterfinals, he flew higher than anyone in an aerial of about 4 feet above the wave. Thus the surfer from Santa Teresa, added to the already elite Ticos in what looks to be another potential possibility for the National Costa Rica Surf Team, when the time comes for the FSC to choose candidates for the Billabong ISA 2009 WSG. Those Games are slated to take place August 2009 in Playa Hermosa. 
 
Leading the figures of a new generation in the Juniors category, which have proven to demonstrate the highest levels of surfing already, 15-year-old Carlos “Cali” Muñoz, seems to be riding ahead in a wake. Yesterday, Muñoz won in front of rivals Rudy Jimenez, Anthony Fillingam (both of Jaco) and Ariel Agüero (Quepos). His best wave of the event was one he beat with a long right, on which he did an aerial 360 grab—perfect. Muñoz, the 2007-2008 Juniors and Boys National Champion, yesterday again gained the trophy in both those categories as well.
 
“It was very important to me to work that particular maneuver so well,” Muñoz said. “Once I managed to perfect it, my results in the competition improved a lot.”
 
Yesterday, Lisbeth Vindas (Jaco), the 6-time Costa Rica National Women’s Champion, won the Copa Mango in her category once more. This makes the husband-wife team winners: Diego Narango is married to Lisbeth Vindas, and according to Naranjo, he chose the spot that provided the left that she took to win!
 
The next date of the Circuito Nacional de Surf 2008-2009 DAYSTAR will be the Torneo Coca Cola Zero in Jaco, in front of the Hotel Enchanted Bay, on December 12, 13 and 14. This will follow the Association Latinamerica de Surfistas Profesionales (ALAS) Latin American Pro date that will take place December 5, 6 and 7 in Jaco.
 
For more information on the CNS or the FSC, please go to http://www.surfingcr.net <http://www.surfingcr.net/> .
 
Results of Copa Mango
Circuito Nacional de Surf 2008-2009 DAYSTAR
November 28, 29, 30, 2007
Playa Hermosa
 
Open Category
1-      Diego Naranjo
2-      Jason Torres
3-      Olman Morales
4-      Federico Pilurzu
 
Junior  Category (Less Than 18)
1-      Carlos Muñoz
2-      Ariel Agüero
3-      Rudy Jimenez
4-      Anthony Fillingam
 
 
Women’s Category
1-      Lisbeth Vindas
2-      Kristin Wilson
3-      Nataly Bernold
4-      Mariana Samudio
 
 
Junior Women’s (Less Than 18)
1-      Lupe Galluccio
2-      Nataly Bernold
3-      Maia Velarde
4-      Elisa Luna
 
 
Boys Category (Less Than 16)
1-      Carlos Muñoz
2-      Jordan Hernández
3-      Anthony Fillingam
4-      Noe Mar McGonagle
 
Grommet Category (Less Than 14)
1-      Manuel Mesen
2-      Elijah Guy
3-      Josué Rodríguez
4-      Marta Fillingam
MiniGrommet Category (Less Than 12)
1-      Juan Carlos Hernández
2-      Andrey López
3-      Leonardo Calvo
4-      Santana Rosales
Girls MiniGrommet (Less Than 12)
1-      Leilani McGonagle
2-      Avalon Esterak
3-      Cloe Velarde
4-      Marta Fillingam
 
Bodyboard Category
1-      Richard Marin
2-      Joan Mojica
3-      Joan Matarrita
4-      Donald Berger
 
Masters Category (More Than 35)
1-      Mauro Sergio Oliveira
2-      Carlos Velarde
3-      Marcelo Matos
4-      Tommy Bernof
 
Grand Masters Category (More Than 40)
1-      Craig Schieber
2-      Mike Esterak
3-      Carlos Velarde
4-      Mario Rodriguez
 
Novices Category
1-      Eduardo Mora
2-      Victor Mora
3-      Bayron Vargas
4-      Henry Peraza
 
Longboard Category
Martín Pérez
Cedric Auffret
Anthony Fillingam
Adolfo Gómez