Peru grabs gold in World Surfing Games

Peru won the team gold medal at the finals of the World Surfing Games held in Costa Rica over the weekend, capping a week of wave-riding in front of festive crowds.

Portugal picked up silver and the United States bronze in the tournament, held in the Pacific coastal resort town of Jaco.

Peru's victory marked the second triumph for the team in the past three years, after picking up the top prize in Peru in 2014.

Surfers from 27 countries competed in the event run by the International Surfing Association.

Argentina's Leandro Usuna picked up the men's individual gold. Tia Blanco from the US pocketed the women's individual gold for the second year running.

The ISA hailed this year's tournament as the first since the International Olympic Committee early this month declared surfing one of five new Olympic sports that will be part of the next Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.