Now in its fourth year, the Playa Encuentro, Cabarete competition will once again bring together the Dominican Republic’s best surfers of all time. The event is scheduled for 2-5 November. The organizers are Luis Aracena, Ricardo Ripoll, Christin Birkhan, Kathleen Riveiro and Phillip Lehman. The event is described as a surfing competition for the over-35s, a meeting of old friends with plenty of family entertainment. The director of the event is Luis Aracena who said that this year the tournament would pay tribute to the late surfing enthusiast Martin Pulgar Saleta.
Some 120 surfers are expected to compete in the Master, Gran Master, Kahuna and Gran Kahuna categories. There is also a Comeback category for surfers who have just returned to the sport or who practice occasionally, and a Long Board category for traditionalists who use the old-style surfboards. There will also be categories Master Boogie Board and Master Ladies and Father-Son categories.
Craig Schiber (Tequila), world Master champion in 2011 in the Gran Kahuna category, and Juan Ashton, four times world Master champion are coming this year, said Aracena.
Also competing are Tony Mendez and Robert Read who placed fifth and sixth in the 2007 World Master in Puerto Rico in the Kahuna category, as well as Orlando Bonilla, many times national Gran Master champion.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 2 November at the Millennium Resort in Cabarete. Competitions will take place on Saturday, 3 and Sunday 4, and the finals on Monday, 5 November (a national holiday).
The Masters Surf Reunion 4 has the backing of the Dominican Surfing Masters Association (ADSM) and the North Coast Water Sports Association (ADACON).