SurfSUP Camp Owners in Costa Rica
When looking for an instructional service, the most important thing is going with a teacher or coach to deliver the professionalism and results needed. For all great coaches to provide and form a successful program, there always needs to be things run smoothly behind the scenes. Even more so when including the logistics of international travel to your sup surf camp.
When Tom Ranieri and Jose Ruiz met, this was the start of combining the recipes needed for the next great sup surf learning center. The shared passion and experience for paddling was the perfect match for a sup surf camp to run at the highest level through and through.
Tom Ranieri – Pacuare Outdoor Center
Tom Ranieri is the Pacuare Outdoor Center (POC – Adventure Company & River Lodge) owner on the Pacuare River and has been running rivers in Costa Rica for the last 18 years. He has also been organizing adventure travel to every corner of Costa Rica during this time. His love for always getting involved in new things has led him to be often the one on the odd vessel going down the river. His curiosity to try something new was no different with paddleboards.
When SUP paddle boarding in the river started to make its way down to Costa Rica Tom wasted little time to get a few boards in the warehouse. Sure enough, guides and clients loved having a crack at riding a paddleboard down some rapids. With SUP’s in the river came SUP’s on the flats of Costa Rica. As a result, that only left one thing for Tom and the POC to add to their repertoire, sup surfing.
The nice part about this is that if you are reading this, you are likely interested in sup surfing. Maybe thinking about getting into the sport, and that is exactly what Tom still feels. He was at the age of 40 when he first sup surfed. Being a river rat one might think Tom was worried about breaking into the surf world, nope. You always here Tom quoting the famous Gerry Lopez who once said, “the best surfer in the ocean is the one having the most fun”.
Tom quickly fell in love with the sport and being in the adventure travel industry, he became more and more drawn to it. Seeing people have success at sup surf was like watching clients get through a class IV rapid for Tom. The fulfillment and smiles on people’s faces made Tom know he had to make sup surfing a part of POC.
Jose Ruiz – Sup Surf Coach – Pro Sup Surfer
This is where Jose Ruiz comes into the story and the birth of Tropical SUPSurf Academy. Jose and Tom have one thing very much in common that drew each other’s attention. They both enjoyed seeing the people smile and feel that fulfillment of accomplishment even more than they enjoyed riding their next waves. They simply loved sharing the sport as much as they loved doing it.
Jose is a natural athlete and coach. He gave up playing professional soccer in Costa Rica to pursue his sup surf teaching and competing career. He was fortunate to have walked into the sport at one of the most respected sup surf Paddling Schools on the planet (Nosara PaddleSurf) and from his start been surrounded by the absolute best when it comes to teaching and breaking down the science of sup surfing. He was a sponge during his years of working in Nosara, which is also his hometown. Jose has been competing as a professional sup surfer for many years and one of the top sup surfers in Latin America. While his competing resume is impressive; his passion for teaching is the badge he wears most proudly.
The Salt and Freshwater Paddling
Few people effortlessly have the patience combined with the knowledge to coach in the manner Jose does, and Tom knew and saw this from the first day they met.
It wasn’t until Tom brought Jose over to the POC Lodge, and he tested his river SUP Skills that Jose busted out with the biggest smile ever, knowing he found another passion in freshwater while he would have the chance to continue sharing his love for the saltwater.
With this combination of love for water (fresh or salt), Tom and Jose launched the SUPSurf Academy. Their goal is to meet the highest standards of service, coaching, and at all cost get results of finding that smile of fulfillment in each and everyone one of their clients.