World Cable Wakeboard gets going
ANGELES CITY—The World Cable Wakeboard Championship kicks off today at Deca Clark Wakeboard Park here with qualifying stages in the youth divisions where host Philippines has high hopes of creating a ripple in one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.
Southeast Asian Games double bronze medalist Samantha Bermudez leads the Philippine contingent, which is tipped to do well in the juniors events of the competition that has lured more than 30 countries.
Calendared today are the wakeboard qualifiers for girls, boys, junior ladies, junior and veteran men and master’s men. The centerpiece Open events, where Bermudez along with men’s division bets Mark Griffin and Carlo dela Torre will be competing, is slated this weekend.
“It’s going to be a learning experience for us,” said Waterski and Wakeboarding Association of the Philippines president JV Borromeo, noting that the Filipinos face a mountain to climb with the level of competition.
“The competition will show us how hard we still need to work. We have a good chance in the juniors events and we’re confident of a good showing, but it’s going to be a challenge in the Open events.”
Nonetheless, Borromeo said hosting the event for the first time will go a long way in the development of the sport, which is aiming to make the Olympics in 2020.
“We hope that seeing some of the world’s best will also inspire our team,” said Borromeo at a press conference also attended by International Waterski and Wakeboarding Federation chief Kuno Ritschard, council member Varna Laco and Deca Homes president JJ Atencio.
The 25-year-old Bermudez, a former varsity football star at La Salle, who only took up the sport four years ago, is coming off a stint in the World Cup in Japan last month, where she finished seventh in a field of 16 that included some of the world’s finest.
“It’s good preparation for me,” said Bermudez of her Japan stint. “I’m confident of a good showing considering my progression the past four years. We will definitely give the competition a run for the title.”
