With flags flying and thousands of local spectators cheering, over 250 surfers and team officials from 27 nations around the globe paraded in the colorful streets of Pedasí, a small beach town just 15 kilometers from Playa Venao.

National Teams paraded showing their country’s colors and cultural traditions, singing and cheering. Meanwhile, the narrow streets of old town Pedasí overflowed with thousands of locals, who welcomed the athletes while showing part of their unique Panamanian culture. Young girls wore beautiful traditional handcrafted dresses and headdresses adorned with gold jewelry, as a sign of joy, celebration, love and respect.

As the entire entourage gathered at the stage in the town’s main plaza, the traditional ISA Sands of the World Ceremony began. Representatives from every National Team brought sand from their country’s beaches up to the stage, where they were mixed together in a glass bowl. The perennial ritual signifies the union of nations, beliefs and races through surfing and the Olympic spirit this event embraces.

ISA President Fernando Aguerre was unable to attend the Opening Ceremony, as he remained in California recovering from a surfing injury. From home in a recorded message, Aguerre stated, “Being a member of your National Surfing Team is the best, most important, highest honor that a surfer could ever get—even if you are a professional surfer or you never surf a professional contest. The fact that you are surfing for your country is the greatest reward that any surfer in the world can aspire to.”

He completed his opening address by adding, “These are very exciting times of great opportunities for surfing around the world. Our sport has become known in the five continents. There are white surfers, black surfers, surfers from every religion, surfers from every social economic level. There are surfers in every country in the world where there are oceans, and there are surfers from countries with no oceans, like our friends from the Swiss delegation today.”

Billabong’s Global Events Manager, Chris Heffner said, “I’d like to thank the teams, countries, competitors and staff that made this contest possible in Playa Venao and Pedasí. If this is your first time in Panamá, I think you’ll find the country to be beautiful, the waves great and the people to be warm and friendly. I would also like to thank the International Surfing Association for letting us be part of such a special event”.

“Look at what our waves have brought us!” said Panamanian Tourism Department Minister, Salomón Shamah. “A wave is one of the most powerful things in the world. That’s something I’ve learned in the last few years by watching how Surf brings only great things, by only having a wave in the sea. You don't need anything else. A wave is needed to create investments, tourism, prosperity and overall, to create the union of the world, so I would like to give applause to the waves that bring all of us here today.”

A great display of Panama’s cultural dances followed the ceremony with El Punto, a Décima, Drums and Latin American Idol winner, Margarita Enriquez singing the Panamanian National Anthem.

Finally, the official opening of the event was made by Mr. Shamah, who said, “On behalf of the ISA and its President, Fernando Aguerre, it is my pleasure and greatest honor to declare this 2011 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games officially open!”

The prestigious, seven-day competition gets underway Sunday and continues until the finals and Medal Ceremony on Saturday, July 2.

Almost 200 surfers from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Switzerland, Tahiti, Uruguay, USA and Venezuela will hit the water on Sunday, when the following heats will be held:

-Open Men Round 1
-Open Women Round 1
-Longboard Round 1

Watch the event LIVE WEBCAST beginning at 8:00am (local time), 6:00am (US PDT), 9:00am (US EDT) and 11:00pm (Australian EST).