The 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: sunshine, surf and free ice cream!

The Point at Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union was peeling 3 foot rights as the 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: Para Sa'yo 'To Kid (This One's For You Kid) kicked off over the weekend.

The Manila Surfers' Association, Aloha Boardsports and LUSC present: the 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: Para Sa'yo 'To Kid! Co-presented with Vans "Off the Wall" and Antonov Vodka (Vodka on the Go).

66 participants paddled out, divided into 10 divisions, all with one thing in mind: the top spot. Several familiar faces were the obvious top bets for the spectators who came down to the beach to watch. Longboarding sisters Nicola and Carla Sebastian along with shortboarder Takamura Ishikawa were among the surfers expected to do well. But, as the heats progressed, it became clear that some newcomers were emerging as dark horses in the competition. Among them were Nicky Ancheta of the Men's Longboard Open and shortboarder Jasher Villaruel, who moved on to the semis of their respective divisions as the day closed.

DJ Ameline kept the beats going

Keeping the crowd entertained was DJ Ameline, who set up her station right on the beach and kept the beats fresh. And keeping the beach supplied with free scoops of ice cream was Fruits In Ice Cream whose "Ice Cream Machine" had been driven up to La Union from Manila. The truck was parked on the beach, providing the heated crowd with a variety of their ice cream flavors for both days of the event.

Free ice cream from FIC!

A raffle was also held during the evening's beach party. The proceeds went directly to the second MSA Medical Mission, scheduled on April 21st in Urbiztondo, La Union for children between the ages of 1-13. Among the items up for grabs were loot bags from Banana Boat/Schick/The Body Shop, 3 MyPhone mobile phones, gift certificates from Vans and one Contour Camera.

Sunday morning saw more excitement as the semi-finals of all divisions got underway. Also a big draw for the Sunday crowd was the FCS Manila Surfers' Invitational divisions where handpicked Manila surfers - mostly past champions - would be competing in four winner-take-all divisions. Among those invited were Paolo Soler, Bjorn Pabon, Lor Lapus and Nikki dela Paz.

Nikki dela Paz, FCS Manila Surfers' Invitational: Wahine Shortboard

When asked about his take on the event, Lemon Dines, La Union local and previous president of the La Union Surf Club, said "Natutuwa ako na madaming bago. Tsaka na gumagaling ang mga taga Manila (I am happy to see many new faces and that the Manila surfers are getting better)."

The swell picked up, with the occasional overhead set coming through, just in time for the specially requested Technical Team Expression Session. The judges, marshals, flagmen, hosts and runners of the La Union Surf Club paddled out for a much-needed 20 minute session before resuming the competition.

Masuno Naito, FCS Manila Surfers Invitational: Men's Shortboard

As with the previous day, dark horses Nicky Ancheta and Kathryn Esguerra outsurfed their competitors to secure spots in their finals heats. Shortboard finalist Tin Terible, found herself a slot in the Wahine Longboard Open as well.

The finals heats were quite close, showcasing the increased level of surfing of the Manila surfers and giving the judges quite a headache. And as the final scores were tabulated, the beach was given another treat from the Manila Surfers' Association - the annual Costume Surf Session.

The Circle Hostel's Ziggie Gonzales in costume in front of the FIC Ice Cream Machine

The brainchild of former MSA officer Kage Gozun, the Costume Surf Session has evolved to become an FIC-sponsored event where online voters have a say for best surfer in costume. Past participants have included surfers dressed as Dora the Explorer, Shrek, and Manny Pacquiao. This year's notable entries were a cross-dressed Marilyn Monroe, Adam & Eve and a family dressed up as space-age skiers.

Results from the Costume Surf Session will be announced at the post-event party in a few weeks' time.

When asked how he felt about his first event as MSA's newest President, Tonet Jose said "I am stoked to hear nothing but positive remarks about the comp. I am thankful to everyone who made the event a success."

RESULTS:

Wahine Novice: Gene Villapando, Lor de Jesus, Michelle Romano and Kathryn Esguerra!
Men's Novice: Benj Pacia, Terence Concepcion, Jeff Ortega and Melf Kuhl.
Wahine SB Open: Lalai Catipon, Carla Sebastian, Camille Post Santiago and Tin Terible
Men's SB Open: Takamura Ishikawa, Sadri Dulay, Ejay Ventura and Jasher Villaruel.
Men's LB Open: Sadri Dulay, Ejay Ventura, Dodong Korea and Nicky Ancheta.
Wahine LB Open: Rozie Laurel Delgado, Tamara Benitez, Tin Terible and Nicola Sebastian.

FCS MSA Men's SB Invitational Champ: Bjorn Dizon Pabon
FCS MSA Wahine SB Invitational Champ: Nikki Arce Dela Paz
FCS MSA Men's LB Invitational Champ: Buji Libarnes
FCS MSA Wahine LB Invitational Champ: Nikki dela Paz

- Photos by Kage Gozun

For more stock images of surf, travel and lifestyle please check out: Kage's Online Portfolio

Bali Boarding

As published in a magazine that has since folded and thus, will not be named ;)

Bali Boarding

It happens to all surfers. After x amount of time paddling familiar breaks and taking off on the same peaks, the feet begin to itch. No, it’s not a bad case of reef rash. What’s happening is a surfers’ built in need to travel and look for better waves. Or, if you happen to think your home break has the best waves, then it’s the search for different swell.

Surfers are, by nature, wandering nomads. Always in search of the perfect session, the ultimate ride. The bar for what constitutes the next best thing is raised as a surfer’s skill level increases. And the search, goes on ad infinitum. Crowded line-ups, irregular seasons, and a general wanderlust drives a surfer ever onward. Two surf movies – The Endless Summer & The Endless Summer 2 – are devoted to that very theme. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been surfing or how good you’ve gotten, at some point, the itchy feet kick in and the search begins.

I find that this is especially true for Philippine-based surfers. We don’t have waves all year round. There comes a time during the summer months when neither Habagat nor Amihan is delivering surfable swell. And instead of drowning my sorrows in beer below zero or taking off for a hedonistic weekend at an island resort, I do the most sensible thing – I plan a trip to Bali.

Bali, Indonesia is one of the best options for surf outside of the Philippines for several reasons. It is closer to the Philippines than, say, Hawaii or Puerto Rico. Filipinos don’t need a visa to enter the country. And, best of all, Bali has waves all year-round. So when things have gone flat on this archipelago, it’s high time to set your sights on another.

The eastern side of the island receives near consistent swell. Without any other countries or islands to break up the surge of the incoming tides, Bali is a guaranteed wave magnet. If it isn’t working at one spot, it will surely be working at another. All you need is a good guidebook, access to the internet to check for swell and a few tips from the friendly surf locals.

Bali has three major seasons, each with their own pros and cons. Depending on your skill level, you can adjust your date of departure. Swell is fickle and can change in an instant but there is a general guide that you can follow.

December to February is the rainy season, although actual rainfall can fluctuate from strong windstorms to minimal downpours. The winds come in from the west side so you’ll want to be on the eastern coastline.

From March to May is when I personally prefer to book my Bali trips because swell tends to be a bit smaller. March can still be a bit wet so I like to book towards the middle to end of May. Breaks such as Keramas, Serangan, and the Bukit Peninsula can still deliver big waves so if you’re traveling with a big waver, tell him he won’t be bored by your hunt for four foot waves.

The water temperature begins to drop come June and goes on til almost November as winter swell from surrounding countries come rolling in. It’s enough to turn your lips blue if you aren’t used to it. When planning a trip for the winter season of Bali, invest in a shorty wetsuit or a thick rashguard. Winter is also when the swell begins to really pick up and breaks such as the legendary Padang Padang start cranking out double overhead waves on a good day. Not for the faint of heart or low of skill. If you don’t think taking off on a 10 foot wave is your speed, rest assured, your friendly local guide can point you out to more manageable surf. Breaks to check out:

During my last trip, which was May of 2010, I fell in love with a little visited break known as Balian. An hour and a half west of Kuta and accessible by land transport (rent a van for the most comfortable ride), Balian’s away-from-it-all vibe combined with consistently clean waves was perfect for our little band of adventurers. And despite the seemingly isolated environment, Balian’s small resorts are actually quite nice. Splurge – at these prices, you’ll still think it’s a steal – and book your self into one of the resorts that has air-conditioning (the dry season in Bali is hot beyond belief), a pool & a fully staffed kitchen.

The best part is that Balian is on the same side as Medewi, which can be friendly or ferocious depending on what Mother Nature’s mood is on any given day.

Closer to the hub of activity, Airport Lefts and Airport rights generally work during the dry season. Paddle for waves while flights take off and land meters from you. Crowd factor can be high so be prepared to fight for your waves. Balangan, less than an hour out of the city center, is also a good bet. And of course, there’s always the rest of the Bukit Peninsula with breaks lined up along the coastline – Impossibles, Padang-Padang and Uluwatu.

Mostly geared for backpacking surfers, there are definitely more basic rooms as compared to luxury lodgings that are angled for waveriders. If you want to stay away from maddening crowd of unwashed and rowdy backpackers on their gap year, ditch Kuta and head for Seminyak or Legian instead. The hotels are better appointed, the crowd more upscale and the levels of comfort more lavish. Most will also offer you cars for hire along with an English speaking tour guide who’ll know his way around the island’s many breaks. The Legian Logo, a five star hotel, is one of the most popular hotels in the area. In Seminyak, check out Le Jardin Boutique.

You can also choose to spend the night at many of the other breaks, leaving you with less time for road travel and more time to surf. And rest assures, it wont be all beach bungalows with no running water and threadbare mats on the floor. The Bukit Peninsula does offer some pretty lush accommodations . Those closer to Uluwatu, such as the Alila Villas Uluwatu , often offer stunning views from the mountainside, 3-bedroom villas &, if you book ahead, private pools. And there are a handful of privately owned villas that are stand alone and can be booked for private groups.

So grab a guidebook, go online, check out flights (Singapore Airlines flies from Manila to Bali with a brief stop at Singapore) and figure out when you’re going to to chasing after those Indo waves.

10 Essential Things to Pack for Every Surf Trip

I admit sometimes I leave without checking if I have my fin keys. Oops. My list of essentials items as published in TravelBook.ph is right here so make the jump :)

Samar Only We Know

Photos from the recently concluded national competition held at Calicoan Beach, Guiuan, Eastern Samar:

To get to Calicoan from Manila by air:

Fly to Tacloban

Hire land transport or take the communal bus from Tacloban to Guiuan.

From Guiuan town proper, ask about renting a motorbike or a jeepney to take you to Calicoan.