It wasn’t just the amazing variety of waves and impressive facilities that swept the foreign visitors off their feet in their recent World Surf League (WSL) experience in Siargao. They were also captivated by the warm Filipino hospitality.
Five-time world champion and 2020 Olympic female surfing gold medalist Carissa Moore said, “It’s my first time in the Philippines and I love it, Siargao is absolutely beautiful and I feel like the people are even more beautiful…I don’t think I’ve ever been welcomed with such warmth as any place I’ve ever traveled.” Her testimony spoke volumes of Siargao’s allure.
French broadcast company Kaptures, which has covered major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup and Olympics, brought in its full force to chronicle each WSL moment. PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio said he was surprised that Kaptures CEO Mathieu Rocton actually lives in Siargao so the connection was inevitable. Aside from the 36 foreign competitors from 10 countries with their coaches and families, over 150 technical staff, officials, judges and media flew over and stayed about 10 days on the island. WSL put up $980,000 in prize money for the penultimate leg on the tour which ends with the Lexus Pipe Masters in Hawaii starting Dec. 8.
WSL Asia Pacific president Andrew Stark said Siargao was added as a tour stop for diversity and its wave quality. The shortboard competition was upgraded from a QS6,000 international event to a full championship tour stop this season and the next. It wasn’t a surprise that Siargao got the nod. The Siargao Cup, introduced in 1996, is the longest-running international surfing event in the Philippines and has been on the WSL qualifying series since 2014 so making the Surigao del Norte island a tour stop was a long time coming.
“From a social media point of view, we had the largest impressions in WSL’s 50-year history with live streaming all over the world, live broadcast to Brazil and even a watch party in Orange County, California,” said Gregorio. “The Philippine coverage was extensive through OneSports TV, OneSports YouTube and Cignal Play. This was the biggest revenue earner for Siargao since it became a surfing destination 30 years ago. Because of rising fuel prices and the Iran crisis, tourism has slowed down in Siargao in the last five to six months so this was a resuscitation. WSL will be back next year with the option of extending to 2028 and maybe, making Siargao a permanent leg on the circuit. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Surigao del Norte Gov. Lyndon Robert Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga and Vice Mayor Min Min Rosillon Sajulga.”
On the sporting side, Gregorio said the participation of four local wildcards was a milestone. John Mark Tokong shocked Brazil’s world No. 11 Samuel Pupo, 16.60-11, while Jayuard Alciso upset Paris Olympic gold medalist Kauli Vaast of France, 12.93-12.17, both in Round 1. Tokong and Alciso bowed out in Round 2, taking home $14,000 each. Noah Arkfeld and Mara Lopez bagged $13,000 apiece. “Mara is from La Union and as a wildcard, earned $13,000 when her previous biggest paycheck was P80,000,” said Gregorio. “Mara competed for her family, her country at 15. Sports is a great equalizer, sports is good news. From grassroots to gold, from gold to greatness.”