Surf’s up in 2020 Tokyo Olympics

MANILA, Philippines — With surfing to be introduced in the 2020 Olympics, the POC yesterday welcomed the application for membership of the United Philippine Surfing Association (UPSA) whose president Dr. Jose Raul Canlas has assembled a national pool of seven athletes seeking to qualify for the Summer Games in Tokyo.

The seven athletes are led by local surfing legend John Mark Tokong who took second place in the 24th annual Siargao Cloud 9 International Cup, a six-day competition that ended yesterday. Another Filipino in the pool Philmar Alipayo was among eight quarterfinalists of 128 participants from all over the world, including Australia, Hawaii, Argentina and Indonesia. The winner was San Diego’s Skip McCullough who earned the top prize of $75,000.

Canlas, a noted orthopedic surgeon, said he’s confident of qualifying Filipinos in Tokyo and if the waves peak at the right time, it’s possible the first Philippine Olympic gold medal could come from the sport.  Aside from Tokong and Alipayo, others in the national pool are Ana Mae Alipayo, Nilbie Blancada, Daisy Valdez, Neil Sanchez and Piso Alcala.

POC membership committee chairman Bob Bachmann received the UPSA application papers from Canlas at the POC office in Pasig yesterday morning. Witnessing the turnover were committee members Quintin Pastrana and Pearl Managuelod, who participated via Skype from Canada. Bachmann said the committee will go over the UPSA papers and make a recommendation to the POC Executive Board before presentation to the General Assembly where a 2/3 vote is required for membership approval. The UPSA is eligible to become an associate member. It may be elevated to regular member as an Olympic sport when included in at least one Asian Games or two consecutive SEA Games.

Canlas said the UPSA was given probationary status by the POC to accredit surfers for the 2008 Asian Beach Games in Bali. The UPSA was formed in 2007 and has a membership of over 300 surfers from three active clubs in Siargao, La Union and Baler with Zambales, Samar and the Bicol region in the process of establishing home base associations. 

Last month, the national pool of seven represented the country at the World Surfing Games in Tahara, Japan. The Philippines finished 20th of 42 countries with the world’s best 197 surfers competing for honors. An Australian coach was brought in to train the Filipino surfers in Baler before leaving for Japan. 

“We’re thankful to the PSC, Siklab and the LGUs for supporting our athletes in international events,” said Canlas. “As we’re not yet recognized by the POC, our athletes are still unable to draw allowances from the PSC. Our surfing season is from September to December when we hold competitions, including the National Surfing Cup which is part of the Philippine Tour. That’s when we do monthly Board meetings. From January to August, our surfers train and prepare for the competitions and during that period, we hold Board meetings twice. Our clubs are extremely active and also very responsible. For instance, in Siargao, kids not enrolled in any K-to-12 program are prohibited to surf in certain beaches because they’re encouraged to go to school. My estimate is there are about 200 kids in this age group.” Canlas said this year, the UPSA sponsored eight-year-old surfer Kai Kenneth Alcala to train at a high performance center in Australia as part of its youth development program. 

Canlas said the UPSA Constitution and By-Laws stipulate that every member of the Board must be a certified surfer in the last five years. “We want surfers in the Board who know the sport and are familiar with what athletes go through,” he said. “Now that surfing is an Olympic sport, we’re expecting more and more people to be interested in what we’re doing.” The Board is made up of Canlas, vice president Luke Landrigan of La Union, secretary Mary Katherine Bolina of Taguig, treasurer Atty. Olivia Guzman of Cagayan, Roy Ian Saguan of La Union, Roy Angara of Baler, Michael Oida of Ilocos Norte, Bjorn Pabon of Bicol and Abdel Elecho of Eastern Samar.