For Carla Gallardo, the ocean isn’t just a sporting arena; it’s the teacher that showed her that the fight continues until the very last second. From her childhood in Tibás to her presidency at ACOS, her life has been a constant “hit” of commitment and passion. In this interview, the surfer, mother, and leader tells us how she’s using that inner drive to revive ACOS’s original mission and demonstrate that, in surfing and in life, success comes only to those who dare to take the first step.

Carla lived in Tibás for 20 years and attended school in Moravia, San José. Talking about this part of Costa Rica brings back memories of moments with her family throughout her childhood, surrounded by cousins and uncles and aunts: “I was a happy, cheerful little girl.”

She deeply loves Costa Rica for its nature and biodiversity—which, in her view, make it a magical place. “The ocean fascinates me; I love it. Of all the countries I’ve visited, Costa Rica has the best beaches, the best waves, and the perfect temperature,” she said.

Years went by, and she entered college, where she thrived. She attended the University of Costa Rica, studied business administration, and became a surfer. Today, she is a surf instructor and coach, as well as a DINA-certified local tour guide; she has also developed her career as a specialist in marketing and brand promotion, and as an event producer.

She currently lives in several places, mainly in the Garabito area of Jacó, where she works, and on a farm in Orotina, where her family and daughter live and where she spends most of her time.

Carla Gallardo is a Costa Rican woman known for her tenacity and commitment to achieving her life goals; “it’s something I’ve been working on over time.”

She also describes herself as loving and grateful for everything she has.

As for the various experiences she’s had in her career and education, they’ve all been different, of course, at different times, yet they’ve always contributed to her life’s purpose: promoting the sport of surfing, protecting the environment, and providing opportunities for growth within the community.

Talking about her beginnings in the sport of surfing, Carla told us about an inner calling that arose from being at the beach; however, her husband is a surfer, and they’ve shared this passion for 25 years. She believes this has been one of the pillars that has fueled her desire to work harder for the sport.

For the past 26 years, Gallardo has continued to surf and enjoy her connection with the ocean. She was a member of the former ACOS—an organization she now presides over, whose acronym stands for the Costa Rican Surfers Association. She was part of it for a year before it closed its doors, “and we formed the new ACOS 15 years ago; we’ve been working tirelessly on it ever since,” she said.

There are people who guide us, teach us valuable lessons, and motivate us to achieve more each day or strive toward our goals. In Carla’s life, those people are: her husband, Álvaro Solano, and Diego Naranjo in the world of surfing.

Very importantly, everyone also carries with them a phrase that defines them in the activities they do; hers is, “The ride isn’t over until the horn sounds—you have to give it your all until the very end.”

For Gallardo, the most distinctive aspect of surfing is that it’s a sport that brings out the best and worst in everyone. “It forces us to confront ourselves at every stage; even if you’ve been doing it for a long time, it will always be a challenge. Surfing has fostered a strong passion in me—an inner energy that won’t let me give up—and I’ve used it as a guide through various situations in my life; it’s a special sport.”

She emphasized that, since surfing takes place in nature, it has its own unique character and magic—it offers moments when you can truly be at one with yourself.

During our pleasant conversation with Carla, she shared her perspective on surfing in Costa Rica. In her view, it’s quite stagnant—lacking progress and structure—and there’s still a lot of work to be done before surfing can become a fully developed sport, even though it’s had a federation and associations in place for years. “It will take a lot of work, unity, focus, effort, passion, dedication, and vision to move forward and address what’s needed.”

Carla Gallardo has been president of ACOS for four years now. The organization remains committed to providing children and youth with healthy sports options, nurturing new athletes, and offering activities and programs that encourage them to develop into professional athletes, as well as platforms to help them achieve their goals.

ACOS was founded in 1975 by Mr. Frank Mora, closed its doors in 2002, and was reborn in 2012 under new leadership.

Its mission has always been to promote surfing in Costa Rica, work toward its development, foster healthy recreation, high performance, and sports, strengthen the development of coastal areas, and benefit local communities.

ACOS Sports, ACOS Green, and ACOS Community are three of the pillars on which the organization’s work is based.

ACOS Sports focuses on surfing—or, more specifically, on surfing-related events and activities—but Carla and her team have also donated bicycles and other equipment to children, including more than 1,300 bicycles and more than 1,000 surfboards.

ACOS was founded in 1975 by Mr. Frank Mora, closed its doors in 2002, and was reborn in 2012 under new leadership.

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Its mission has always been to promote surfing in Costa Rica, work toward its development, encourage healthy recreation, high performance, and sports, strengthen the development of coastal areas, and benefit local communities.

ACOS Sports, ACOS Green, and ACOS Community are three of the pillars on which the organization’s work is based.

ACOS Sports focuses on surfing—or, more specifically, on surfing-related events and activities—but Carla and her team have also donated bicycles and other equipment to children, including more than 1,300 bicycles and more than 1,000 surfboards.

And ACOS Comunidad focuses on community well-being, sports scholarships, and donations.

The president of ACOS spoke about the lessons learned, the challenges, and the environmental commitment of an organization that has grown thanks to hard work, community service, and the protection of the coastline.

Her remarks repeatedly emphasize hard work, effort, and the conviction that no goal can be achieved without commitment

Human warmth also comes through: that connection with people which, as she explains, has been one of the most important lessons learned over the years.

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Her experience leading the organization has allowed her to reaffirm the value of work, sports, nature, and the importance of taking action now to build a better future.

“Without a doubt, one of the greatest lessons has been human warmth—offering and conveying that desire to value work, sports, nature, and the present. We must work now to reap a good harvest and strive very hard to achieve our objectives and goals,” she stated.

ACOS’s journey has not been without obstacles. The organization has had to face economic and budgetary challenges, especially since it carries out its work without public funding. In this context, each project has required creativity, dedication, and a strong work ethic.

“ACOS has faced countless challenges, both financially and in terms of budgeting. It’s an organization that operates without public funding, practically scraping by, working on all the projects currently underway and even achieving a level of competitiveness comparable to that of a company or organization,” she explained.

Added to the financial difficulties are the challenges inherent in any initiative that begins to stand out and make an impact. Carla noted that, at times, there are people who may feel overshadowed by the work of others and end up trying to discredit or undermine collective efforts.

“Those people are trying to destroy us. We’ve had people who’ve wanted to harm the organization and have made accusations. In fact, we’ve faced countless difficult situations,” she added.

These difficult moments have also affected those who lead the organization. “The members of the board of directors and the people who lead ACOS have gone through personal situations that, at certain times, make it difficult to carry out our activities.”

However, these difficulties have not diverted the organization from its main objectives. On the contrary, they have reinforced the need to work in a more organized and structured manner in support of environmental protection.

Currently, the organization is part of the Civic Environmental Parliament, a forum that provides advice to legislators on various bills.

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For the leader, this participation represents an opportunity to continue strengthening environmental efforts from a more institutional and organized perspective. The goal is to continue contributing to the protection of the natural environment and the sports landscape in which the communities associated with the organization operate.

ACOS’s track record has also been built through partnerships and social impact programs. The organization has worked alongside the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), leading initiatives aimed at promoting environmental protection and community-based social welfare work.

Volunteerism has played an essential role in this process. It is not merely a matter of bringing people together for a one-time activity, but rather of building a culture of participation and commitment that has endured for more than a decade.

Regarding Garabito’s recent official designation as a “Surf City” by the World Surf Cities Network

In Garabito, where the ocean is part of the everyday landscape and surfing is much more than just a sport, a new chapter is beginning to take shape. The canton was officially recognized as a “Surf City” by the World Surf Cities Network—a distinction that, for Carla Gallardo, represents both an honor and a responsibility.

“The Garabito Surf City project stems from the need to work for Costa Rica and to develop a framework that can strengthen the sporting, economic, and cultural development of coastal areas,”She said.

Joining this international network of surf cities opens, in her view, a door to new platforms for cooperation, learning, and management.

Costa Rica has several cities and communities connected to surfing, but many of them are still in the early stages of development and require solid structures to enable their growth. “There are examples to follow internationally. Joining this network provides us with international platforms, support, and management resources to gain guidance, examples, and insights that can benefit the surf cities we already have here in Costa Rica,” Carla emphasized.

From her perspective, looking to other cities that have led the international scene does not mean losing one’s own identity, but rather finding tools to strengthen it. The experience of those destinations can help build sustainable models adapted to the Costa Rican reality.

The main objective behind Garabito’s recent appointment is for Costa Rica to continue being a world-class destination in the surfing world and for tourist visitation to rebound.

In this context, he believes that civil society also plays a decisive role. Although the government addresses many areas, citizens committed to the country have a responsibility to promote initiatives that help strengthen policies and institutional efforts.

The designation of Garabito as “Surf City” aims precisely to position its beaches and canton as a national and international icon of surfing—a status that, according to Gallardo, already exists in practice and can now be promoted with greater impact and organization.

When discussing the goals that still need to be achieved, Gallardo refers to her responsibility as a Costa Rican woman and as the leader of an organization.

She believes it is her responsibility, as capable individuals, to work toward, structure, and strengthen Costa Rica’s development.

“Being part of Costa Rica also means giving back in some way for everything the country has given its citizens,” she emphasized.

Carla emphasized the role of women, which, in her view, has grown stronger: “Women’s empowerment is gaining increasing support in Costa Rica.” For this reason, she encourages people to seize opportunities to demonstrate the skills, preparation, and passion with which many women lead projects and organizations. “We have all the skills and a great deal of passion for what drives us,” she stressed.

The Costa Rican woman also expressed her gratitude for the trust that the ACOS Group has placed in her to lead initiatives related to coastal development. Among these, she mentioned the Garabito Surf City Pro project, which, in her view, goes far beyond a mere sporting event.

“It’s not just about organizing a competition. The goal is to build a framework and strengthen the economic, sports, tourism, and community sectors. It’s a project designed for the medium and long term,” she explained.

In this endeavor, she believes it is essential for women to support one another and continue to take the lead in projects. At the same time, she emphasizes the importance of working alongside men who also lead companies and organizations.

Carla acknowledges that there is still a long way to go. Costa Rica is a small, emerging country, but it has significant opportunities to forge partnerships and learn from other nations.

In this regard, she highlighted the ties that the ACOS Group has developed with the People’s Republic of China, based on the pursuit of new avenues of excellence and cooperation. These ties with China aim to build a strong position through the areas of excellence they manage, while seeking to strengthen themselves in the same way. The challenge lies in turning these experiences into concrete actions that generate benefits for communities.

Among the overall goals she considers priorities, she mentions environmental protection, working with young people, and creating opportunities that drive progress.

When asked about the motivation to keep moving forward, Gallardo responds that the drive comes from within each person.

“Motivation comes from within. Courage, bravery, effort, and dedication are achieved only when we take the first step. None of that will happen if we don’t dare to begin,” She said.

Her message is directed at men and women who want to turn their passions into projects but who often get held back by difficulties.

She encouraged people to believe in themselves and take that first step. “Life’s challenges, developing projects, and pursuing our passions and goals are not easy. There will be countless obstacles, but we have the ability to move forward.”

The key also lies in understanding that solidarity and generosity bear fruit as well.

Finally, she spoke of the importance of gratitude: “Being grateful for the privilege of living in a beautiful and free country, and committing to protect and strengthen it.”

Did you know that the world’s best surfers will be coming to Costa Rica in August to compete at Playa Hermosa, Garabito? That’s right—it’s a stop on the World Surf League’s professional circuit.

It turns out this is the world’s leading surfing organization, and the event will take place August 13–16, putting Costa Rica’s Pacific coast in the global spotlight.

And you might be wondering, who’s organizing this amazing event? It’s none other than Carla and her team at ACOS.

You won’t want to miss it!

Stay up to date on every move Carla Gallardo makes and follow the entire wonderful team at ACOS by following them on social media: Instagram @carla.gallardo.ber and @grupo_acos. On Facebook, you can find them as Grupo ACOS, and you can also visit their website at https://acos.cr/.

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