Marley Cup Costa Rica surf competition comes to Dominical

Costa Rica’s fourth 2014 Olympus National Surfing Circuit competition is coming March 15 and 16 to the beautiful south Pacific beach of Dominical. The Marley Cup will be held in front of the well-known Tortilla Flats beachfront restaurant and bar at Dominical. The competition is named for principal sponsor House of Marley, which sells earth-friendly products inspired by legendary reggae singer Bob Marley’s vision of “One Love, One World.”

The long black volcanic sand beach of Dominical is situated on the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, where the coastal and mountain highways meet. Dominical is known for strong, fast, hollow waves, and is popular with experienced surfers looking for good, consistent waves and the quiet, laid-back vibe of the southern coast. This is one of the few beaches of Costa Rica with lifeguards on duty for the powerful surf and strong currents.

Three-time national champion Gilbert Brown is in first place overall for the Men’s Open Division, followed by Enoc Santana in second place and Maykol Torres in third. The 2013 National Champion Jair Perez is currently in 9^th position for the season, but there are still five more competitions to go before the finals. Jacó surfer Luis Vindas is being hyped as the man to beat; he won the Dominical competition three of the past four years.

National rankings have Lisbeth Vindas in the number one position for the Women’s Open Division, followed by Leilani McGonagle in second place and Emily Gussoni in third. McGonagle is in the number one slot for Junior Women. The 2012 National Champion Nataly Bernold is currently in 5^th place, having missed the first competition of the season thus making her low in points.

Very close to Dominical – only 11 miles north – is the Costa Rica sustainable community of Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living. The residential and vacation lodging community is well-positioned in a coastal rainforest river valley between the two top Costa Rica beach destinations of Dominical and Manuel Antonio National Park. If you are looking for a place to stay near Dominical or for Manuel Antonio vacation rentals, Portasol rents luxury vacation homes and tropical bungalows.

Portasol offers Costa Rica property for sale and homesites. On their 1,300 acres, there are private trails in the jungle, rivers and waterfalls with natural pools, comfortable lodging, and a protected rainforest reserve.

Article by Shannon Farley