Luis Vindas wins the Winter Triple Crown

Interview by: Javier Castro R. - Costa Rica Surfing Federation

After being acclaimed the absolute Champion of the Triple Crown 2007, establishing himself to all ends of the country, Luis Vindas took his suitcases and was directed to Punta Roca, El Salvador.  Here he competed against the best Latin American surfers and this native surfer of Jacó demonstrated an excellent level of surfing.

"To win a competition like this (ALAS Latin Tour), is the best thing that has happened to me this year, I trained hard for this competition and I believe that I did a good job, it was a very difficult competition, it is a great honor to be able to continue competing on this tour, it has been some time without good results and was very unmotivated", commented the Surfer of Jacó. 

What was the most difficult thing of the contest?
The most difficult was that the waves were rights and I was going backside.  I had very good rivals and they would always start to gain on me, this made me a little nervous but I continued on to win the next heats.  

What was the most difficult in the final?
Manuel began the heat with good waves, he is a surfer with a lot of experience, mid-heat he was already winning, I was feeling a lot of pressure because I was losing.  But I was calm and waited for my waves.  It was the best to think I was losing and then to win at the last minute.

-Now the South Americans are in Central American waves.  Is it time for the Central Americans to rise in the rankings?
The South Americans are strong because they train in cold water and I assume when they come to Central America it allows them to surf better.  But regardless, to me the competition in Argentina went well, and one doesn’t know where you can do better.  You just have to train and be very motivated in order to be able to surf well and win. 

-What strategy does a goofy use in Punta Roca?
It is like a competition, between goofies and regulars, depending on the way the wave breaks, the goofy can make better maneuvers, and well-executed backside maneuvers, can snag a good score.  The strategy is to surf the best that you can and choose the best waves. 

-Recently the Triple Crown finished, now the ALAS contest is here.  Do you feel like you are in your best shape? 
I feel like I am at a good point, the Triple Crown motivated me a lot to come and compete in El Salvador, it was good training. 

-How were your aerials in Punta Roca?
Only in a heat against the Venezuelan (Francisco) Bellorín, I began to lead by doing airs;  I didn’t have any other option but to do a strong aerial and two more maneuvers. 

For many you are considered to be one of the best surfers of Latin America, how does this statement make you feeling? Also, ¿Do you expect to win the next stop?
I have never thought that I am better than anyone else.  And I know the level of all the participants and some of them do better maneuvers than I.  But I know that I can win a competition when I surf well.

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