Ontiveros and Virgen going for the record

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, November 20, 2013 – Mexicans Lombardo Ontiveros and Juan Virgen will be seeking for their record sixth men’s gold medal of the year when the tenth stage of the 2013 NORCECA Circuit gets underway on Friday in Costa Rica.

Ontiveros and Virgen triumphed consecutively in Dominican Republic and Guatemala before winning three in a row in Varadero (Cuba) Mazatlan (Mexico) and Boqueron (Puerto Rico).

In Boqueron, the Mexican duo tied the all-time record of five victories in a season set by Virgen himself playing with Aldo Miramontes in the 2010 season.

In the women’s division, USA’s Lane Carico will be going for her fourth consecutive title and third straight with Heather Hughes.

Carico began her streak by claiming the gold medal teaming up with Sara Hughes in Boqueron and continued stepping on the top of the podium together with Heather Hughes in Chula Vista (California) and St. Lucia.

If Carico and Hughes win in Costa Rica, the former would tie the record for most consecutive wins in the history of the NORCECA Circuit with four established by Mexicans Bibi Candelas and Mayra García combining the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Teams will be divided into four pools of four and will play a qualifying round robin with the top two teams from each pool advancing to a single-elimination bracket.

Women’s teams:

CAN-A (Kacie MacTavish/Caleigh Whitaker), CAN-B (Victoria Altomare-Julie Gordon), CRC-A (Karen Cope/Natalia Alfaro), CRC-B (Paola Cruz/Betsy Cruz), DOM (Deborah Constanzo/Rochelly Parra), ESA (Diana Romero/Marcela Ávalos), GUA (Nadia Galán/Lourdes Ramirez), HON (Gina Flores/Hyxe Napky), ISV (Jamie Farley/Laurie Bachler), LCA (Samantha Mann/Dala Noel), MEX (Bibi Candelas/Martha Revuelta), NCA (Jakeline Toruño/Swan Mendoza), PUR (Dariam Acevedo/Vanesa Velez), USA-A (Heather Hughes/Lane Carico), USA-B (Allison Fleming/Traci Weamer).

Men’s teams:

ARU (Mitchel Daniel-Eargenell De Cuba), CAN-A (Simon Fecteau-Botin/James Battiston), CAN-B (Josh Binstock/Samuel Schachter), CRC-A (Julio Álvarez/Diego Alpizar), CRC-B (Esteban Escobar/Jonathan Guevara), DOM (Luis Castillo/William Sánchez), ESA-A (Franklin Flores/Luis Morales), ESA-B (Carlos Escobar/David Vargas), GUA (Luis García/Erick Garrido), JAM (Gatasheu Bonner/Ryck McCkenzie), LCA (Julian Bissette/Joseph Clercent), MEX (Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen), NCA (Gerald Umaña/Henry Hernández), SKN (Steadroy Collins/Kemory Percival), USA-A (John Hyden/Tri Bourne), USA-B (James Drost/William Montgomery).

Women’s winners in 2013

Cayman Islands: CAN Jamie Broder/Kristina Valjas

Boca Chica, Dominican Rep: USA Jennifer Fopma/Brooke Sweat

Guatemala: CAN Kacie MacTavish/Caleigh Whitaker

Toluca, Mexico: USA Emily Day/Whitney Pavlik

Varadero, Cuba: CAN Melissa Humana/Taylor Pischke

Mazatlan, Mexico: MEX Martha Revuelta/Bibi Candelas

Boqueron, Puerto Rico: USA Sara Hughes/Lane Carico

Chula Vista, California: USA Heather Hughes/Lane Carico

St Lucia: USA Heather Hughes/Lane Carico

Men’s winners in 2013

Cayman Islands: PUR Roberto Rodríguez/Erik Haddock

Boca Chica, Dominican Rep: MEX Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen

Guatemala: MEX Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen

Toluca, Mexico: USA Casey Jennings/Stafford Slick

Varadero, Cuba: MEX Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen                           

Mazatlán, México: MEX Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen

Boqueron, Puerto Rico: MEX Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen

Chula Vista, California: USA Theo Brunner/Nick Lucena

St Lucia: USA David McKensie/Austin Rester