Mauricio Ortega is the founder of the Avellanas Surf School. Mauricio moved from San Jose to Avellanas Beach when he was 15 years old. There he was mentored in surfing by a local by the name of Freddie who had been living and surfing there since the 1970’s. Freddy became his teacher and from then on surfing became his passion and his lifestyle.

In 1998 Mauricio moved to Playa Tamarindo and worked as a bartender. While tending bar he met a French family who asked him to teach their children how to surf. So, without any teaching experience Mauricio dove right in. The French were surfing! Through this opportunity, he had the idea of starting his own surf school. Shortly afterwards, Mauricio partnered up with another to form the first full fledged surfing business on the coast.