Source: Federico Ayciriet – Argentinean Surf Association - www.asasurf.org.ar/

Argentina places 12th at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games

The Argentinean team was placed twelfth in the BILLABONG ISA WORLD SURFING GAMES with a total general score of 7160 points, equaling its best historical position and improving two places when compared the 2008 WSG result.

In a world championship that registered the greatest number of participating countries in the history of the World Surfing Games (a total of 35 countries, 28 of which with complete delegations), Argentina achieved twelfth place in the ISA Ranking and stood in front of countries with good surfing such as Mexico, Chile and Tahiti.

Roberto Gonzalez Niesl, manager of the Argentinean team, said that “it is an important result because we worked hard to achieve a quality improvement.  We managed to get among the twelve best countries in the world in the world championship with most teams in competition and some of our surfers had the chance to advance some rounds.  There are many things we gave to work further, but we know we are in the right path.  This result is a sample of it”.

In a break down by categories, the Argentinean Open athletes summed 1080 points and managed to place themselves in the 12th place, surpassing Tahiti, and at only 130 points of distance with New Zealand, placed 11th in the general ranking.

In the Longboard category, the team obtained its best position.  The added results of Martín Pérez and Federico Goñi left our country in 11th place with 760 points, equaling Brazil and beating surfing potencies such as Puerto Rico and Costa Rica, both in the world Top Ten.

The Women improved their 2008 performance, reaching the second and third repercharge rounds.  However, with 660 points, were placed in 17th place in their category.

Now, the team goes back home and begins preparations for three international events programmed for this year: the Pan-American Games, University Pan-American Games, and South American Beach Games.
The position of each one of the team members was as follows:

Open Men
25 - Marcelo Rodriguez 
41 – Leandro Usuna
41 – Lucas Santamaría
65 – Martín Passeri

Open Women
29 – Tete Gil
33 – María Paz Usuna

Longboard
17 – Martín Pérez
25 – Fefe Goñi

Time to Evaluate

The Argentinean surfing team returned home with the need to reflect about what happened in the Billabong ISA WORLD SURFING GAMES.  In a short while, the white and light blue flag will fly high in the international events and the objective is to capitalize this world-class experience to boost the Argentinean performance in these future competitions.

The 12th place obtained in the Costa Rican WSG reinforces from the result itself, a process that began a year ago and must grow step-by-step until it materializes into a real quality leap for Argentinean surfing.  Self-criticism and planning are part of the jobs undertaken by the Argentinean Surf Association that advances on the organization of the 2009/2010 Tour without losing sight of the pending international engagements that its team has at international level.

On November 9-15 the Pan-American Surfing Games will be played in Stella Maris beach, Brazil.

In the last edition, which took place in Chile during 2007, Argentina obtained an 8th place in the general ranking, having Martin Perez (Longboard) and Emiliano Tabaré (Bodyboard) in the best individual positions, both with a 4th place.

ASA’s expectations centers in the first edition of the South American Beach Games, which will take place in Uruguay from December 3 thru 13.  For the first time, the Argentinean surfing team will display the Olympic rings in its uniform and will participate of the championship with an Open team that has as main objective to go a step higher in the podium.

The international agenda will close in Fortaleza, Brazil, on December 11-13.  The first edition of the Pan-American University Surfing Championship, where the Open and Women categories will intervene, will take place there.  Argentina will compete with a “B team” due to the superposition of the calendar with the JSP.

Cristian Petersen Judging Member at WSG

Cristian Petersen became the first Argentinean to be part of the team of judges in the World Surfing Games and marked a precedent in the history of Argentinean surfing. 

In the last eight months, the Argentinean Surfing Association carried out two international courses for ISA Level 1 and 2 judges.  Head Judge Jordao Bailo Jr. was responsible for this training and was the foundation stone to cement the trust deposited by the International Surfing Association in Cristian Petersen to become part of the judging staff at the WSG.

In relation to this effort carried out by ASA to improve judging standards as a pillar for a more professional lookout of the sport in the country, Petersen said that his appointment to the WSG was “something to be proud of in a personal level but I also live this as an achievement at national level.  It means a lot of accumulated work that today displays its results”.

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980.

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since. The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karín Sierralta (Peru).

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