By Federico Ayciriet – Argentinean Surfing Association – www.asasurf.org.ar

After two weeks of training in Bombas & Bombinhas, Brazil, sixteen Under-16 surfers from Mar del Plata and Miramar returned home after the closing ceremony of the first Argentina – Brazil Surfing, Cultural and Sporting Meeting.  The second phase of this project will take place in March 2011, when a delegation of the neighboring country will come to the waves of Mar del Plata to continue the exchange program. 

In this initial phase of the project, thirteen junior surfers from Mar del Plata and three from Miramar, travelled to Brazil to carry out a comprehensive program involving integral development, training, exchange and fellowship to enrich their technical performance, as well as their athletic and moral values.  The meeting is the first step of a project that has had a one-year gestation period by the associations that are central to the development of surfing in both countries.  The project aims to provide an integral and qualitative improvement for up and coming athletes.  The purpose is to consolidate a work structure that assists surfers in their athletic growth. 

As mentioned, sixteen surfers represented Argentina.  From Mar del Plata: Josefina Ane, Lakshmi Camarino, Aixa Sanchez, Lucia Cosoleto, Fermin Besteiro, Ramon Barreca, Tobias Ortells, Felipe Suarez, Juan Satti, Lorenzo Pico, Joaquin Juarez, Sebastian Ventura and Juan Scotino. Three surfers came from Miramar: Julian Serres, Ignacio Zudaire and Juan Cruz Teijeiro (joined by Laura Falco and Peche Pezzente).  Those responsible for the delegation were: Maximiliano Prenski, Horacio Tórtora, Silvio Pedro, Roberto G. Niesl and Cristian Petersen.

Leandro “Lele” Usuna and Martin Passeri hoisted the national flag on the podium of the ALAS Latin Tour.  Marcelo Rodriguez had a good performance and positioned himself in fifth.  This allowed three Argentineans to place among the top eight in the event.  The competition was won by Venezuela’s Francisco Bellorin.

The Argentinean surfers continue to have leading roles in the Latin American Tour. These results belong to the sixth event of the Tour and first event of the Central American Triple Crown, disputed in Punta Roca, El Salvador. 

The Argentinean legion is preparing for Panama’s World Championship.  After the qualifying competitions, the National Team faced the polar-like weather that sweeps the Argentinean Atlantic coastline and trained in the waves of Honu Beach, Mar del Plata.