Attracted by the waves, participants of the 2022 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Junior Surfing Championship continue to arrive in the country with anticipation to train and prepare for the most competitive junior event in the world to be held from May 27 to June 5.
The event demonstrates the position that the country has achieved and the confidence of the organizers and athletes. In addition, it is positively reactivating the economic dynamics of the departments of San Salvador and La Libertad, benefiting the food, transportation, recreation, and accommodation sectors.
The articulated work of the government of the President, Nayib Bukele, has allowed an agile reception of the athletes since they arrive at the new air terminal that has become the gateway to Surf City.
The Minister of Tourism, Morena Valdez, has highlighted that the country is emerging as a good destination to visit, invest in and live.
“These events have allowed us to promote the recovery of the sector because the athletes come much earlier to train, and that implies an economic income that is distributed throughout the tourism value chain: hotels, restaurants, transportation, tour guides, among others.”
The vice president of the International Surfing Association (ISA), Karin Sierralta, assured us that El Salvador is blessed with waves with very good potential, world-class waves, both left and right. “This junior world championship is one of the biggest championships; 12 athletes participate per delegation. We are going to need two podiums, that is, two championships simultaneously”
In a few days, El Salvador will be the epicenter of world surfing and, to date, it is estimated that 50% of the delegations have already trained the waves in the Bocana of El Tunco and El Sunzal beaches, the two spots where the event will be held.
For his part, one of the great figures of the United States delegation arrived in the country several weeks ago as part of his preparation.
“I am super excited to be in El Salvador for the Junior World Cup and to be able to surf with the best in the world,” said Kai Kushner, from Manhattan Beach, United States.
Delegations such as Greece, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Israel, Barbados, Norway, Switzerland, Venezuela, Uruguay, Peru, Panama, Belgium, among others, are already in Surf City.
According to the ISA, it has exceeded the number of participants in the Huntington Beach Junior World Championships in 2019. That year, there were 343 surfers and 44 delegations. For the edition in El Salvador, there will be 45 delegations and 423 surfers.