Cover photo by Asosurf 

Chapín surfing has changed over the past four years. From having no events or surfers advancing in international events, to a completely different situation, with athletes standing out internationally and in event organization, to the point where they managed to confirm that the Pan American Surfing Championship will be held on their beaches between July 3 and 13.

How did Guatemala make it to the Pan American Games? What can we expect from it? What has happened to Guatemalan surfing over the years?

These are some of the topics discussed with Bertrand Piedrasanta, president of Asosurf, the federation that oversees surfing in the country.

With passion and joy for the great news, the authority answered the following questions:

How did you get Guatemala to host the Pan American Games?
It was achieved thanks to a dream, first and foremost. Ever since I was surfing, I always imagined Guatemala being a country where surfing could grow and where everyone would realize that surfing existed in Guatemala.

Aside from that, as president of the association, an excellent team was formed, with Eduardo del Cid and Helen Rafael, the manager. The dream has always been for Guatemala and our athletes to progress.

"It was achieved thanks to a dream first and foremost. Since I was surfing, I always imagined Guatemala being a country where surfing could grow and where everyone would realize that there was surfing in Guatemala."

And also last year when we did ALAS, I touched on that subject, and I touched on it in a somewhat fanciful way, but with the hope of being able to do it and achieve it. And today, thank God, five months after I broke the news at ALAS that I could do it, it was achieved… Thank God and all the people who are supporting us; thank you to the hoteliers in the Monterrico area, the municipality of Taxisco, Eduardo, Helen, CDAG…

Many people have supported this initiative, and thank God, we are very happy that we will have more than 400 athletes from all over the Americas in this beautiful country, Guatemala.

The country went from barely appearing on the map in recent years to now hosting several international events. What were the key factors?
The key, perhaps the most pressing key, was the fact that people with very good thoughts and very good hearts joined the association, like the entire committee: Jeffrey Lima, Juan Carlos Batres, Pedro Pérez, Eduardo del Cid, and yourself, along with the administration, Helen Rafael, our manager, who has always supported us. That's one of the reasons why, about four or five years ago, private companies started looking at us as a sport and an association. Before that, it was only managed by Asosurf, and there was no way to make private companies understand that this is a sport that generates employment, tourism, and so on.

"The key, perhaps the most important key, was the fact that people with very good thoughts and very good hearts joined the association, like the entire committee."

So, thank God we're now on the same page, and I'll leave with a good taste in my mouth the day I'm no longer in front of the federation, knowing that I was able to participate in this great change that surfing has now experienced in my beautiful country, Guatemala. I'll always say that; I'm proud to be Guatemalan.

There are several keys, but there's nothing like working passionately for what you love and growing your surfing and sports community.

Another key I can share is that, thank God and the good work we've done, the Guatemalan Olympic Committee and CDAG have given us a hand, they've believed in us as a sport, they believe in the sport of surfing.

It goes without saying that we will be organizing the Central American Games, the Pan American Games, and both ALAS… This is an excellent year ahead, and I hope God gives us the wisdom and strength to carry out all the events excellently and show the world how beautiful Guatemala is—as a country, as a tourist destination, as athletes, and as its surfing.

It's not easy to fund an event like this, what was the strategy?
It's a really, really funny thing because after I said we wanted to do it, Eduardo del Cid told me to go from one side to the other and knock on this door... Much of the reason why the Pan American Games are going to happen today is thanks to Eduardo del Cid.

He's been calling me day, night, day, night, day, night... And the strategy was to reach out to private companies, hoteliers, and the people who make their living from tourism, who offer the beauty of this country. They've all also contributed their part to the sport of surfing, and so we continue to fight for it, and I believe that after this year, many more things are coming for Guatemala.

Likewise, many thanks to the international community, to PASA, to Karín, to all the people who have come to this country to surf and enjoyed it. We are people who welcome all our brothers and sisters of the waves with open arms, and well, Guatemala is here whenever you want to come.

What can we expect from this Pan American Games that is different from the rest?
A lot: Good waves, good competition, good food, good experiences, good hospitality, which is what characterizes us Guatemalans.

We also hope to be able to test our athletes against the elite of the Americas.

What we hope for is everything, and that Guatemala finally goes out and shows the world what it has to offer in the world of surfing.

What outcome do you think Guatemala will have?
Like every country, we hope to be on the podium. We're working with young people who have been preparing since I became president 10 years ago. 10 years of struggle and trials, and today the results are these. That we can offer the world our waves, beaches, cuisine, our landscapes... I hope our athletes are on the podium, which is what any leader of any country and any fan of this sport, whose athletes are part of a process, expect. So, I expect that and nothing less.

And as an association, we hope that everyone sees Guatemala, that people who come here enjoy it, and that they leave with a good taste in their mouths.

How are you going to prepare to achieve this?
We're already preparing. Thank God, the Guatemalan Olympic Committee has always supported us and already has a group of athletes signed up to its program.

We are also in negotiations with an international coach.

Training the kids hard at camp, with good teams, high-performance teams because our athletes are high-performance… Like Carlos Escobar, like Víctor Velasquez, Tizi Billy Premm, Rafaela Vergara, good bodyboarders, Juanita Pos, Brian Berkovits, Pedro Pablo Vergara… We have a lot, a lot of potential.

We're doing this through camps, providing them with the best opportunities and the best equipment to help them perform.

We're waiting for you with open arms. We have ALAS, the Pan American Games, the Central American Games, and then another ALAS. We hope God gives us the strength and the means to accomplish everything we have planned.

I thank ALAS and PASA for keeping up with what's happening in our beautiful country, and I invite all the federations in the region to join us for this great celebration. Those who have come already know what Guatemala's treatment is like, what the waves are like, and that everyone leaves with a good taste in their mouths.