Tired of the usual indoor and outdoor sports in the Metropolis? If yes, then travel 8-10 hours by land or one hour by air to south of Luzon where a wakeboarding paradise can be found.
The CamSur Watersports Complex put Naga City in the world map and became one of the country’s top tourist destinations even hosting big international events such as the WWA Wake Park Championships and Ironman triathlon among others.
“It was actually the son of (Camarines Sur) Gov. LRayVillafuerte who conceived of the idea of putting up the complex as he is a wakeboarder himself,” Provincial Administrator FerminMabulo told philstar.com referring to MigzVillafuerte, the country’s top wakeboarder recognized by the Philippine Waterski and Wakeboard Federation.
The sprawling six-hectare complex is the home of the first world-class watersports facilities not only in the Philippines but in whole Asia. Complete with resort-type amenities and boasting of a six-point cable ski system for wakeboarding, wakeskating and waterskiingaside from other extreme and watersports facilities, the whole complex is a virtual playground.
Philstar.com recently visited the complex to learn the sport of wakeboarding.
Winch Park (where beginners take the first crack at wakeboarding) supervisor Bart Rellama taught us the ropes of wakeboarding and here are the three basic things you need to know before plunging to this sport.
1. Float on your back
Rellama said the basic start for first-time wakeboarders is to float on your back. Once you master this technique, you can try the jump and sliding start (which we also tried doing but ended up plunging into the water than standing up on the wakeboard).In this basic technique, the board should be perpendicular to the rope with your arms either side of your front knee. Once ready, you’re now ready to be pulled by the rope.
2. Toes up
As you are pulled slowly forward, put your toes up and just let the pressure against the board allow you to get into the proper starting position. Let the pressure on the board push your knees into your chest, then put your weight into your front foot (your strong foot)to direct the board. Slightly bend in a crouching position until your stance is stable then slowly stand up.
3. The more pull, the more you will fall
One of the basic tenets taught by Rellama in wakeboarding is that do not pull the ropes back. The more you pull the ropes, the more you will lean back and fall off the board. Just let the ropes pull you and focus on your stance. Once mastered, you can now jump to the next level and learn the tricks such as the jumpstart, switch stance among others and take your act to the Lake where the longer cable ski system and ramps of different heights await you.
Wakeboarding develops your reflexes and mental focus to stand up on the board against the speed of the ropes. It is hard at first but never give up. If you feel like giving up then you don’t need to go that far to draw an inspiration. Just imagine how Camarines Sur was able to get up on its feet from being one of the worst typhoon-hit areas in the country to become one of the top tourists destinations.