Team Phl top riders head wakeboard cast

MANILA, Philippines - Southeast Asian Games bronze medalists Samantha Bermudez, Mark Griffin, and Carlo de la Torre are expected to lead the campaign of the Filipinos against a tough field of foreign riders in the 2012 Cable Wakeboard World Championships on Nov. 6-11 at the Clark Deca Wakeboard Park in Clark, Angeles Pampanga.

“They are our Top 3 riders and they will be our top guns at the world championships,” said Waterski and Wakeboard Association of the Philippines chairman J.V. Borromeo when he attended the PSA Forum along with JJ Atencio, CEO of host venue Deca Homes, yesterday at Shakey’s Malate.

Bermudez won a bronze in the female wakeboard event in the Indonesia SEA Games, and landed another podium finish in the team category alongside Griffin and dela Torre.

“They are training in Korea at present and by next week they will be in Japan for the World Cup as part of their preparations for the worlds,” said Borromeo.

The Philippines will be hosting the world tilt for the first time, expecting over 300 of the world’s best riders, led by bets from powerhouses Germany, Austria, Korea and Thailand, to showcase their tricks at the new, world-class facility established by 8900 Housing Development Corporation.

Aside from Bermudez, Griffin and dela Torre, Borromeo expects more local riders to emerge from the Philippine Qualifying Series (PQS), a series of ranking events to be held Sept. 8 in Lago de Oro, Batangas, Sept. 29 in Deca Davao, and Oct. 20 in Deca Clark.

“As host, we want to send the biggest team and that’s actually the trick if we want to improve our chances,” he said.

The worlds will feature competitions in boys and girls (11-under), juniors (14-under), open, masters (30-above) and veterans (40-above) for both men’s and ladies as well as the highly technical Wake Skate discipline.

“Our best opportunity at the worlds will be in the ladies open because we’re pretty strong there and in fact, just recently, Samantha finished second behind a German rider. In the men’s open, I would say it’s a little bit tough. But I think in the juniors, we’re very strong. We have a lot of strong juniors especially in Davao.

“We’re really hoping the PQS will get them ready for the championships,” Borromeo said.

Providing a fitting venue for Int. 6 Star Event (1000 points) sanctioned by the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) will be the newly opened Deca Wakeboard Park in Clark.

According to Atencio, the facility boasts of a Rixen German made cable system with a five-corner design layout featuring obstacles sourced from Germany to ensure world-class and the ultimate wakeboarding park riding experience.