Costa Rican wins world surfing championship

Costa Rica entered the history books of world surfing Sunday when Craig “Tequila” Schieber became the first Costa Rican surfer to win the title of world champion at the 2011 International Surfing Association World Masters Surfing Championship, held Oct. 16-23 in La Libertad, El Salvador. Schieber won gold in the Grand Kahuna division (age 50+).

The masters championship is a gathering of the world’s top surfers age 35 and older. Surfers from different countries compete for medals in five categories, Masters (35+), Grand Masters (40+), Kahunas (45+), Grand Kahuna (50+) and Women Master (35+). Tica surfer Andrea Díaz placed fifth in the women’s category. Costa Rica finished the tournament ranked seventh overall in the world.

Schieber, who became a naturalized Costa Rican citizen 20 years ago, lives in the beach community of Puerto Viejo, on the southern Caribbean coast. He and the rest of the Costa Rican masters team are set to arrive back in Costa Rica on Monday afternoon.