Rider Profile: Ebrina Ana Catharina Curet

San Jose, Costa Rica

Spring 2007

Ebrina Ana Catharina Curet was born in Aruba (a little island off the coast of:). Ebrina is now 21-years old and currently resides in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Ebrina is a talented bodyboarder and we got the change to chat with her via Myspace.

Where have you traveled?
Santo Domingo, Mexico, California, and here in Costa Rica. With Arusurf we were able to represent Aruba in the World Surfing Games in California last year. It’s a local Surfing Association and is a member of the ISA so we’ll also be participating in the next WSG. But next to that we have to work for ourselves to be able to go to other places to participate in any international competitions.

How long have you been bodyboarding?
For almost 5 years.

What kind of board do you ride?
Right now the Custom X Vice 40, which I love!

Where are you "local" spots?
In Aruba Dos Playa, or Arashi and Manchebo when there is a swell.

Who do you bodyboard with?
In Aruba with friends who I miss a lot and who are the best motivation for improving, my ex-boyfriend who helps me improve a lot giving tips and advice, and here in Costa Rica also with friends but who surf.

How is bodyboarding in Costa Rica?
It’s pretty underrated, I haven’t seen much promoting of the bodyboard scene. It’s all about surfing.

Are there a lot of bodyboarders there?
Normally there’s not a lot of bodyboarders. Usually we’re not more then five in the water. That is the most I have seen on a regular basis. But the Caribbean side has a lot more bodyboaders then the Pacific side.

Are there a lot of girl bodyboarders there?
Right now four of us are competing in the Circuito Nacional de Surf 2007. The next competition that is coming up this weekend they’re officially introducing the category women’s bodyboarding. The two previous competitions the category was included last minute when we closed on 4 participants for a heat.

Do you plan on staying in Costa Rica? What's your next move?
I’ll have to stay three more years to complete my study, so I can get my degree in Nutrition. I’m probably going for my masters next, but preferably somewhere else, don’t know where yet. Definitely somewhere where there’re good waves.

Are there ever any traveling bodyboarders in Costa Rica?
The ones I know of are some bros from Aruba, but I haven’t met any yet from other places.

What was the best session you have ever had?
Here in Costa Rica, at Playa Escondida, perfect lefts and rights. I surfed from 6 to 11am. I was so tired afterwards from taking so many waves I had to sit out the afternoon session. And in Aruba any day that Arashi or Manchebo hit.

What was the worst session you have ever had?
Worst wipe out was probably at Dos Playa in Aruba or Colorada in Mexico because the wave just slammed me so hard into the sand. Worst session is just when it’s absolutely flat in Aruba.

How often do you bodyboard?
Every weekend I can. In Aruba I used to bodyboard every day, but here it’s hard because of the distance and the university.

What is it like being a bodyboard girl?
I don’t really know how to answer that, I’m a girl who bodyboards. I guess what does make it difficult sometimes in the water is sometimes guys dropping in on you because they think ah your just a girl, but that hasn’t really happened a lot, usually the guys support the girls in bodyboarding. I do think sometimes they could show more interest for the girls bodyboarding category in competitions because it seems to be the least important one a lot of times, and we do represent just like the guys.

How do you think female bodyboarding can expand? How can we make it more popular?
Promoting it, more exposure in magazines, Web sites and videos. Shots of girls ripping to inspire other girls to start bodyboading too.