The world class surf break, Santa Catalina Panama will receive 400 athletes from 20 countries for the 2023 Pan American Surfing Games taking place April 21st - 30th.

At the moment, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Panama have the most participants with confirmed attendance.

In addition, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Colombia, USA, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica are among the confirmed representations.  Last year, Brazil dominated the medal table with 15 medals, including the team, taking the title of kings of the waves.

Panamanians champions like paddle boarder Stevie Bodden, and short boarders Samanta Alonso, and Jean Carlos Oli Camarena González are gearing up for the XVI version of the Pan-American Surfing Games 2023. Placing in upcoming events secures one of the 42 places in the Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile 2023. This is a vital event for the sport of surfing in Panama as it, along with the 2023 and 2024 ISA World Surfing Games, are vital in order to be eligible for Olympic qualification. 

2023 Pan American Surfing Games is qualifier For the 2024 Olympics

All surfers selected by their respective National Federations for their national teams must have participated in 2023 and 2024 ISA World Surfing Games in order to be eligible for Olympic qualification. While the final details of the eligibility requirements are still under review, these are the key elements to surf in the 2024 Olympics. 

24 men, 24 women will qualify to competing in Olympic surfing 2024

- Qualification events have been determined in hierarchical order of qualification. 

The hierarchical order of qualification will be as follows:

2023 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour: First 10 eligible men and first 8 eligible women.

2023 ISA World Surfing Games: 4 men and 4 women selected based on their continent. Top finishing eligible surfer of each gender from Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

2023 Pan American Games: First eligible man and first eligible woman in the surfing competitions.

2024 ISA World Surfing Games: First 5 eligible men and first 7 eligible women.

2024 ISA World Surfing Games: The winning teams by gender, will qualify 1 place for their respective country/NOC, regardless of the 2-per country quota limit.

2022 ISA World Surfing Games: The winning teams by gender, will qualify 1 place for their respective country/NOC, regardless of the 2-per country quota limit.

All surfers selected by their respective National Federations for their national teams must have participated in 2023 and 2024 ISA World Surfing Games in order to be eligible for Olympic qualification.

Host nation slot: One man and one woman slot will be guaranteed for the host nation of France, unless already filled through the above hierarchies. If France qualifies, their guaranteed slots will be given to the highest ranked eligible surfers from the 2024 World Surfing Games.

2023 Pan American Surfing Games is a boost for the Panamanian Economy 

Iván Eskildsen, Minister of the Tourism Authority of Panama, commented that last year the tournament had a positive impact on Playa Venao, where the event was held in 2022. The Pan-American surfing games brought  $2 million to the local economy (hotels, food, artisans, transportation, tour guides, and shopping) in 2022.