maría ortiz: Queen of the "Nesken Uribe Kosta"

Last Saturday took place the 3rd edition of the "Open Nesken Surf Uribe Kosta", the women surf festival that takes place in Sopelana to celebrate the "International Women Day". There are two categories, one for those who usually compete (Open A) and another one for those who have just started to practise this great sport :) (Open B). No one wants to miss this event because it has the best prizes of all contests "a trip to Lanzarote", so most of the best Spanish women surfers show up in order to win it.

Although we had the check-in at 8:30, the waves were really big and kind of a mess so the organizers decided to wait till midday to start.

My heat was the last of round 1, and although I try to focus and look for the best waves but the conditions were changing all the time and it was really hard to find a good spot. I did not do well in my first heat, but I was lucky enough to make it through. I have surfed there just a few times and it was really hard for me to find a good positioning in the water during the whole competition.

Leticia Canales, on the other hand, is a local at that beach, and you could see her finding great waves during most of her heats.

As the tide was coming up the waves were getting a bit better, which helped us in the final. Leti chose the lefties and I went to a different pick trying to catch some rights I saw during the previous heat. I could not hear anything during the final, so I had no idea about how the other competitors were doing. I caught two nice rights which let me do some good turns and the rest of the heat I was paddeling all the time trying not to lose the position in the water because the current was really strong.

Nice bottom turn of Leti in a great looking left during the final

Altough it was hard to be in the place, some of the rights had a great wall to do nice turns

When I came out of the water most of the people came to me saying I had done really well, I was happy with my surfing but because I was in a different pick I didn't know how the others had done it. We had to wait one day to know the results, because the awards ceremony was the next day with other events related to the celebration of the International Women Day.

And..... yess!!! I won!!! :) I was soooo happyyyyyy!!!! what a great feeling to be up there again!!!! :)

Open A podium