By Maria Alejandra Peña

Joel Chavez spent a year raising money and knocking on doors to ensure that, in the midst of the worst sociopolitical crisis in recent years, Nicaragua would have at least one representative at the ISA World Surfing Games that begin today in Japan.

Chavez traveled with Olinyer Palacios, physical trainer of the Nicaraguan Surfing Federation (Fenisurf), and according to him, he was instrumental in making the trip to Japan possible.

Both are locals from Astillero beach and in contact with DUKE they agreed that the surfing situation in Nicaragua is complex, and that added to the crisis that the country is currently facing, things have become even more complicated.

All surfing-related events and activities have been halted, which is why they have been working hard since 2017 to raise funds to get to Japan.

“It was difficult to attend the event in Japan, but fortunately I have received a lot of support. I am more than happy to have the opportunity to put Nicaragua's name at the top,” said Chavez.

He also highlighted that “the surfers in Nicaragua are at a good level, always surfing, well motivated. But the situation in the country did not allow the tournaments to take place. We remain motivated, working hard to always be prepared for better times to come.”

Joel Chavez started surfing at the age of nine, surfing on pieces of boards. Later, foreigners who traveled to his beach saw his talent and gave him a board. Today, the Nicaraguan is 25 years old and has been part of the national team for seven of those years.

For his part, Olinyer Palacios, a doctor by profession and who has been working within Fenisurf for three years, explained that “currently the national circuit of the discipline is on hold due to the situation in the country, however, throughout the process of coordinating Joel's trip to Japan, we have been working hand in hand with the federation, with its president Dexter Ramírez, who has been aware of the entire process.”

Palacios explained that making Joel Chavez's trip to Japan possible required "hard work with a lot of effort, knocking on doors for a whole year to raise funds for the trip, training, preventing injuries, doing all the corresponding paperwork and staying firm in the goal of achieving Nicaragua's representation at the ISA World Games."

The Nicaraguan is already in Japan, having participated in the opening parade a few hours ago. In his debut series, the 27th, he will face the American Taro Watanabe and the Irishman Gearoid McDaid.