MANILA, Philippines - The second 15-km Pacific Kayak Surfing Challenge will be held Aug. 6-7 with another fun- and adventure-filled event expected at the Siete Pecados island chain in Mercedes, Camarines Norte.
The two-day paddling tournament will kick off with the 5-km novice race on Aug. 6 around Baybay Beach, being groomed as a kayak surfing hotspot in the country.
The area, which shares the same shoreline with the famed surfing spot Bagasbas Beach, offers four-foot wave challenge to paddlers.
Also on tap is a reforestation project at the Mangrove Forest in Apuao Grande, a white sand beach island where participants will camp out overnight.
The main event will fire off Aug. 7 with the 15-km race to Baybay Beach, passing through some of the islands in the Siete Pecados group noted for its white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and marine sanctuaries.
Scattered on Bicol’s Pacific seaboard, the archipelago is composed of Apuao Grande, Apuao Pequeña, Caringo, Canton, Canimog, Malasugui, and Quinapaguian.
The event is part of the 15th Kadagatan Festival which celebrates the town’s 64th Founding Day to be capped by a street dance competition to showcase the town’s fishery heritage.
Mercedes Mayor Alex Pajarillo said the kayaking event hopes to jumpstart ecotourism and livelihood programs based on kayaking tours.
He added that the town’s potential as a kayak surfing haven will strengthen Camarines Norte’s position as an emerging sports adventure and ecotourism destination.
Other sporting events in the Kadagatan Festival include a paraw regatta on Aug. 3 and the first National Skimboarding Competition on Aug. 4-5.
For details, add Mercedes on Facebook: Mercedes Camarines Norte (Love Ko si Mercedes), email discovermercedes@yahoo.com or call 0947-2060301or 0919-7273701.