Participants were presented with certificates at the end of the symposium ©ISA/Naslo Bustamante

Costa Rican National Olympic Committee (CONCRC) President Alexánder Zamora Gómez was among the officials present at a two-day International Surfing Association (ISA) Coaching Symposium.

The CONCRC supported the running of the event, alongside the Costa Rican Surfing Federation and Olympic Solidarity.

The symposium saw 16 national surf coaches receive both theoretical and practical training from five ISA course presenters in the Americas region.

It is hoped the symposium would help to further develop and improve coaching standards in Costa Rica.

Long-term athlete development, skills in rescue environments, mental preparation and women’s coaching were among the topics covered, as well as the biomechanics of surf foundation and judging criteria.

The ISA say coaching will also aim to support athletes to become better human beings, as well as improving their surfing skills.

The coaches were joined by 15 young, underprivileged surfers from the area for the practical part of the course.


They participated in a tag-team surf competition to complete the symposium.

Zamora was present at the event to show his support for the development of surfing in Costa Rica.

The official, whose tenure as CONCRC President began at the start of the month, presented each participant with a certificate following the conclusion of the event.

Costa Rica is considered one of the stronger surfing nations, with Brisa Hennessy and Leilani McGonagle representing the country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.