Seven of ten days are in the books, every discipline has splashed into El Rosario, and the road to the finals is getting shorter. A windy, challenging lineup proved the continent’s best are all business.
Monterrico, Guatemala — July 10, 2025 — The glassy perfection of Week 1 finally gave way on Day 7. Sets still hit five feet, but stiff winds forced competitors to hunt hard for keepers. Even so, the show rolled on—starting with a heavyweight Round 2 SUP Surf heat that pitted reigning world champ Maximiliano Torres (PUR) against Peru’s all-around talent Sebastián Gómez. The two traded blows well ahead of Mexico’s Ricardo Eathan Mancilla and Costa Rica’s Juan Bernini, with Gómez stealing the win thanks to sharper wave selection. Torres owned the best single ride (8.00) but lacked a solid backup. Expect both to be in the late-round mix come Sunday.
With two main-event rounds and one repechage complete, men’s SUP Surf is down to eight semifinalists. Only Peru and Puerto Rico still have both surfers alive; Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina fill the other four spots.
Vania Torres Pads Peru’s Point Total
Vania Torres arrived aiming for SUP Surf gold and stayed on script, cruising through her Round 2 heat to reach the final eight. The surprise is her cameo in women’s longboard—not her specialty—where she shocked the field by winning her opener and skipping repechage. Those could be golden points for Peru’s team chase. Round 2 now hosts twelve riders, led by Costa Rica’s Lía Díaz, Puerto Rico’s Jazmine Dean, Colombia’s Margarita Conde, and Brazil’s duo Atalanta Batista and Rayane Amaral. Amaral bounced back from a Round 1 stumble, topping repechage with a 10.77 heat and keeping her title hopes alive.
Maturano Steps Up in Men’s Longboard
Argentina’s Matías Maturano dominated his Round 2 heat while Peru’s Willian Saldaña bowed out on an interference—potentially a pivotal swing in the tight team race behind Peru. Puerto Rico also had reason to smile, advancing both Maximiliano Torres (still alive in two divisions) and Rio Donaldson to Round 3.
Puerto Rico Eyes the SUP Race Double
Tomorrow brings the third and final SUP Race. With back-to-back wins, Mariecarmen Rivera and Ricardo Ávila need only a runner-up finish to clinch individual gold. If either lands third, Argentina’s Juliette Duhaime or Brazil’s David Leao must win to force a paddle-off.
Top single-wave score: Maximiliano Torres (PUR) — Men’s SUP Surf — 8.00
Top heat total: Sebastián Gómez (PER) — Men’s SUP Surf — 11.17
Catch every heat live at www.pasasurf.org
About the Event
The PASA Games Guatemala 2025 Surf Festival is produced by ASOSURF, the Confederación Deportiva Autónoma de Guatemala, and the Guatemalan Olympic Committee, with key support from the Municipality of Taxisco (Santa Rosa), Naturalmente Santa Rosa, Hoteles Dos Mundos, Hotel Pazífico, Johnny’s Place, El Faro Hotel, Hotel El Delfín, Dulce y Salado Hotel, Mangoya Jungle, Hidravida, Maya Jade, Hawaiian Paradise, Hotel San Gregorio, Maya Internacional Transporte Turístico, Utz Tzava Beach Hotel, Marbella Ecolodge, Hotel Honolulu, and One Pixel.
About PASA — Pan American Surf Association
Founded in 1992, the Pan American Surf Association (PASA) governs and promotes surfing throughout the Americas. Affiliated with the International Surfing Association (ISA) and recognized by Panam Sports, PASA runs Pan Am Games qualifiers, drives surfing’s Olympic pathway, and supports national federations while inspiring the next generation across Latin America, the Caribbean, and North America.