Whitewater excitement at the Teva Rafting Cup 2014 in Costa Rica

Whitewater rafting teams from all over Costa Rica will compete for the prestigious Teva Rafting Cup 2014 the last weekend of May at the Naranjo River near the Manuel Antonio National Park.

Known as the “Copa Teva” in Spanish, the exciting rafting competition is organized by the Quepos Whitewater and Adventure Association.

Starting on Friday, May 30, teams will compete in Sprint and Head-to-Head competitions downriver starting from Finca Naranjo to the London Bridge. On Saturday, May 31, there will be a Downriver Race from Finca Naranjo to the Llamarón Bridge. Finishing up on Sunday, June 1, teams will face the challenging Slalom competition in the river section from Finca Naranjo to the London Bridge.

The last registration deadline is May 20. Registration fee per team is from $100 to $150, which includes rafts, transport and three nights of camping. Teams must come to Finca Naranjo on May 29 for a team captains’ meeting at 6:00 p.m.

In February, Teva sponsored an Extreme Race for kayaking on the Chorro section of the Naranjo River.

A favorite for whitewater rafting in Costa Rica, the Naranjo River flows from the Talamanca Mountains above Quepos and Manuel Antonio, passing through several narrow gorges on its way to the Pacific Ocean. The exciting and challenging class III and IV rapids make for a fun day of rafting. A little further to the east, the Savegre River is another popular whitewater rafting destination, offering easier rafting and fun river tubing trips in class II and III rapids.

Right nearby, the Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living sustainable community is one of the best places to stay to attend the Copa Teva rafting competition. The residential and vacation lodging community has comfortable and luxurious vacation rentals, and is a short drive from the popular beaches of Manuel Antonio and Dominical. You can go on a commercial rafting trip easily from Portasol on either the Naranjo or Savegre rivers.

Portasol offers a unique place to experience Costa Rica’s amazing beauty. The Costa Rica sustainable community has Costa Rica property for sale for future homeowners. Homesites fill only 17% of land in the eco-community; the rest is protected rainforest with rivers and waterfalls, and community areas.

Article by Shannon Farley