(La Union , Philippines : Feb. 1, 2009): The 4th annual Manila Surfers Association (MSA) Fun Competition in cooperation with Stoked Inc., the Philippines’ premier boardsports company, fired on all cylinders under consistent 2-3 foot surf in La Union, the island nation’s surfing capital. The 2-day event saw the fast-growing Manila surfer scene gun in out in shortboard and longboard fun competitions at the Mona Lisa Point — a softly-peeling reef-bottomed pointbreak in the South China Sea — to crown the finest surfers of the Philippine capital.
Architecture graduate Nikki Dela Paz, who recently turned 25 summers young, was the standout surfer of the event as she captured both advanced shortboard and longboard titles for the second year running. She sealed the shortboard title by throwing together a scorching ride that interlaced a faded bottom turn into a snappy frontside hack with a series of nifty top-turn slashes and cutbacks down the line. She capped off the double victory in the longboard finale with a graceful composition of stylish manoeuvres, cross-steps, nose rides, and sweeping cutbacks.
“I really wanna thank the La Union Surf Club, MSA, and Stoked Inc. for this really cool comp. It’s been a fun and exciting weekend, and I can’t believe I managed to win again this year against such a great group of surfer girls,” said the visibly delighted and super-stoked Nikki.
In the shortboard finals, overhead sets peeled with machine-like precision, and it was extreme-sports enthusiast Jot Jao who claimed the championship. While sluggish in the prelims, Jot saved the best of his arsenal for last. He stitched-up the title with a blistering take-off on an overhead set resulting in three immense backside hacks, a display of power and style much appreciated by the judges from The La Union Surf Club (LUSC).
Buji Libarnes emerged champion for the third consecutive year in the Men’s advanced longboard division and finished 3rd place in the shortboard competition. Amidst the glow of a La Union sunset, Buji, with his trademark old-school style, fashioned a longboard lesson of long nose rides, fine lines, and sweeping turns thus claiming a rare three-peat triumph.
The beginner’s division in longboarding introduced two new names in the Manila surf community. Bobby Crisostomo and PJ Valenciano took the men’s and women’s novice titles respectively flaunting surf skills that proved they were a potential force to reckon with in next year’s competition.
StokedInc. President and CEO JV Borromeo was impressed and excited with the rapidly-rising Manila surfing community. “It’s terrific seeing surfing’s colossal popularity in the Philippines,” exclaimed JV, “and no doubt, the Manila Surfers Association (MSA) has played a significant role in surfing’s explosion. I am honoured to join them in their efforts to spread the word about surfing to all Filipinos.” StokedInc’s Creative and Marketing Director Mumph Ruiz added, “With our brands Billabong, Element skates, Nixon watches, JS Surfboards, and Von Zipper shades housed under one corporate family, we’re pumped up to have been personally invited by MSA President Viva Olalia-Guzman to rock with MSA in this year’s event. We’re definitely stoked to work with MSA for a long time to come.”
Other notable surfers in the competition included the well-liked and respected Attorney Ely Cresencio, the 48-year old chairman and founder of the Manila Surfers Association. Ely, affectionately known as “Attornz,” blasted his way into the advanced longboard finals, an effort made inspirational by the fact that he had just returned from a heart-attack scare and angioplasty procedure a year earlier. His competitive heats were definitely the noisiest and most eagerly awaited of the day by a festive and boisterous crowd.
The youngest participant, Woodrose student Carla Sebastian — of the popular Surfing Sebastian Sisters that include older sisters Mia Sebastian and Nicola Sebastian – was another stellar surfer as she managed to place 3rd in the advanced longboard division and 4th in the shortboard class with only 17 youthful summers to her age. This commendable feat is enunciated further by the teenage Carla having only started surfing a year ago.
The longboard junior division — which saw the best teenage La Union longboarders compete against one another — was won by Marven Abat of Team Kuzbax, a group of young La Union surfers. The youthful Team Kuzbax did a great job assisting MSA throughout the competition by acting as official timekeepers and flagmen.
The hilarious costume-surf competition, conceptualized by MSA Vice President Kage Gozun, took place under 3-foot peelers, and was unquestionably won by 540 Surf Shop owner Lui Tortuya, who longboarded with abandon as Nacho Libre. The ladies heat saw a tie between “Wonder Woman” Tin Magsaysay and a Viking-capped Nicola Sebastian.
Head Judge Moro Gandawali of the La Union Surf Club was all cheers for the participants and the MSA. “I’ve known everybody in the Manila surf scene for many years. The surfing has really improved a lot. Most important is that, for me, this is probably the smoothest and the most fun MSA competition ever because of the work and passion of everyone here,” said Moro, “what a very good nice weekend.”
As the surf days come to an end and the boards strapped back on their racks, the surfers haven’t forgotten that theirs is a lifestyle that is a gift of nature. As such, they respect it. The MSA worked in cooperation with Green Zinc Clean Shores, a Philippine-based environmental programme that keeps the ocean and beach clean and of which Manila Surfers Association and The La Union Surf Club are active members.
The Manila Surfers Association would like to thank its sponsors and partners:
Stoked Inc., Billabong, JV Borromeo, The La Union Surf Club, The Medical Colleges of Northern Philippines, Doc Mark Guzman, Jericho Rosales, The University of Baguio,Surfer’s Inn Residents, Little Surfmaid, Hacienda Peter’s, Surf Camp, Luke Landrigan and The Billabong Surf School, The San Juan Surf Shop, Kim Honasan, Team Kuzbax, and Green Zinc Clean Shores
by Joncy Sumulong
congrat lui make sure somebody else win nextyear, hi doc been longtime no see