27/08/2026
Meet Lia Díaz.
She started surfing at four, long before any of this was part of the plan.
What followed was years in the ocean. Competing. Falling. Learning. Getting back up. And eventually, almost unexpectedly, finding her place on a longboard.
There’s a part of this story that podium photos don’t show.
Coming from a small country like Costa Rica, pursuing a professional surfing career takes more than talent. Every opportunity comes with a price tag — flights, boards, entry fees, places to stay, another country, another event.
Sometimes the hardest part isn’t earning your place. It’s finding a way to get there.
And this is where Lia’s story belongs to more than Lia.
Years ago, some of the first people to help fund her dream were women who had come to Costa Rica to surf at our Retreats.
They had watched this little girl grow up around the ocean, believed in where she might go, and quietly helped her take some of those first steps.
Since then, friends, clients, businesses, sponsors and people who simply believed in her have helped carry this dream a little farther.
To every person who bought a raffle ticket, sponsored a trip, opened a door, shared a contact, offered a place to stay, or simply said “keep going” — thank you.
You are part of this story too.
In 2026, Lia became the first Costa Rican to qualify for the WSL Longboard Tour.
A little girl from Costa Rica made it onto the world stage.
Not alone.
Not without struggle.
And definitely not without a whole lot of people believing she could.
Now she gets to see how far this wave will take her.
Meet Lia Hermosa Diaz — surfer, coach, proud Costa Rican, and part of the heart behind Living Pura Vida.
