2009 4th Annual Manila Surfers Association Fun Comp Mona Lisa Point The Municipality of San Juan, La

The 4th annual Manila
Surfers Association (MSA)  Fun Competition in cooperation with Stoked
Inc., the Philippines' premier boardsports company, fired on all
cylinders under consistent 2-3 foot surf in La Union, the island
nation's surfing capital. The 2-day event saw the fast-growing Manila
surfer scene gun in out in shortboard and longboard fun competitions
at the Mona Lisa Point --  a softly-peeling reef-bottomed pointbreak
in the South China Sea -- to crown the finest surfers of the
Philippine capital.

Architecture graduate Nikki Dela Paz, who recently turned 25 summers
young, was  the standout surfer of the event as she captured both
advanced shortboard and longboard titles for the second year running.
She sealed the shortboard title by throwing together a scorching ride
that interlaced a faded bottom turn into a snappy frontside hack with
a series of nifty top-turn slashes and cutbacks down the line. She
capped off the double victory in the longboard finale with  a graceful
composition of stylish manoeuvres, cross-steps, nose rides, and
sweeping cutbacks.

"I  wanna thank the La Union Surf Club, MSA, Stoked Inc. and Billabong
for this really cool comp. It's been a fun and exciting weekend, and I
can't believe I managed to win again this year against such a great
group of surfer girls," said the visibly delighted and super-stoked
Nikki.

In the shortboard finals, overhead sets peeled with machine-like
precision, and it was extreme-sports enthusiast Jot Jao who claimed
the championship. While sluggish in the prelims, Jot saved the best of
his arsenal for last. He stitched-up the title with a blistering
take-off on an overhead set resulting in three immense backside hacks,
a display of power and style much appreciated by the judges from The
La Union Surf Club (LUSC).

Buji Libarnes emerged champion for the third consecutive year  in the
Men's advanced longboard division and finished 3rd place in the
shortboard competition. Amidst the glow of a La Union sunset, Buji,
with his trademark old-school style, fashioned a longboard lesson of
long nose rides, fine lines, and  sweeping turns thus claiming a rare
three-peat triumph.

The beginner's division in longboarding introduced two new names in
the Manila surf community. Bobby Crisostomo and PJ Valenciano took the
men's and women's novice titles respectively flaunting surf skills
that proved they were a potential force to reckon with in next year's
competition.

StokedInc. President and CEO JV Borromeo was impressed and excited
with the rapidly-rising Manila surfing community. "It's terrific
seeing surfing's colossal popularity in the Philippines," exclaimed
JV, "and no doubt, the Manila Surfers Association (MSA) has played a
significant role in surfing's explosion. I am honoured to join them in
their efforts to spread the word about surfing to all Filipinos."
StokedInc's Creative and Marketing Director Mumph Ruiz added, "With
our brands Billabong, Element skates, Nixon watches, JS Surfboards,
and Von Zipper shades housed under one corporate family, we're pumped
up to have been personally invited by MSA President Viva Olalia-Guzman
to rock with MSA in this year's event. We're definitely stoked to work
with MSA for a long time to come."

Other notable surfers in the competition included the well-liked and
respected Attorney Ely Cresencio, the 48-year old chairman and founder
of the Manila Surfers Association. Ely, affectionately known as
"Attornz," blasted his way into the advanced longboard finals, an
effort made inspirational by the fact that he had just returned from a
heart-attack scare and angioplasty procedure a year earlier. His
competitive heats were definitely the noisiest and most eagerly
awaited of the day by a festive and boisterous crowd.

The youngest participant, Woodrose student Carla Sebastian -- of the
popular Surfing Sebastian Sisters that include older sisters Mia
Sebastian  and Nicola Sebastian – was another stellar surfer as she
managed to place 3rd in the advanced longboard division and 4th in the
shortboard class with only 17 youthful summers to her age. This
commendable feat is enunciated further by the teenage Carla having
only started surfing a year ago.

The longboard  junior division -- which saw the best teenage La Union
longboarders compete against one another -- was won by Marven Abat of
Team Kuzbax, a group of young La Union surfers. The youthful Team
Kuzbax did a great job assisting MSA throughout the competition by
acting as official timekeepers and flagmen.

The hilarious costume-surf competition, conceptualized by MSA Vice
President Kage Gozun,  took place under 3-foot peelers, and was
unquestionably won by 540 Surf Shop owner Lui Tortuya, who longboarded
with abandon as Nacho Libre. The ladies heat saw a tie between "Wonder
Woman" Tin Magsaysay and a Viking-capped Nicola Sebastian.

Head Judge Moro Gandawali of the La Union Surf Club was all cheers for
the participants and the MSA. "I've known everybody in the Manila surf
scene for many years. The surfing has really improved a lot. Most
important is that, for me, this is probably the smoothest and the most
fun MSA competition ever because of the work and passion of everyone
here," said Moro, "what a very good nice weekend."

As the surf days come to an end and the boards strapped back on their
racks, the surfers haven't forgotten that theirs is a lifestyle that
is a gift of nature. As such, they respect it. The MSA worked in
cooperation with Green Zinc Clean Shores, a Philippine-based
environmental programme that keeps  the ocean and beach clean and of
which Manila Surfers Association and The La Union Surf Club are active
members.

The Manila Surfers Association would like to thank its sponsors and partners:
Stoked Inc., Billabong, JV Borromeo, The La Union Surf Club, The
Medical Colleges of Northern Philippines, Doc Mark Guzman, Jericho
Rosales, The University of Baguio,Surfer's Inn Residents, Little
Surfmaid, Hacienda Peter's, Surf Camp, Luke Landrigan and The
Billabong Surf School, The San Juan Surf Shop, Kim Honasan, Team
Kuzbax, and Green Zinc Clean Shores

  -- by Joncy Sumulong



Results:

Women's Shortboard Division:
Champion: Nikkibabykins Dela Paz
2nd Place : Lorraine Lapus
3rd Place : Dominique Mas
4th Place : Carla Sebastian

Women's Advanced Longboard Division:
Champion: Nikki Dela Paz
2nd Place : Dominique Mas
3rd Place : Carla Sebastian
4th Place : Adda Quitlong

Men's Shortboard Division:
Champion: Jot Jao
2nd Place : JP Sarmiento
3rd Place : Buji Libarnes
4th Place : Aston Martin Sarmiento

Men's Advanced Longboard Division:
Champion: Buji Libarnes
2nd Place : Jot Jao
3rd Place : JP Sarmiento
4th Place : Attorney Ely Cresencio

Women's Beginners Longboard Division:
Champion: PJ Valenciano
2nd Place : Pauline Reyes
3rd Place : Glenn Abad
4th Place : Mika Santos

Men's Beginners Longboard Division:
Champion: Bobby Crisostomo
2nd Place : Gerard Desangan
3rd Place : Martin Ballesca
4th Place : Jessal Ramos

Longboard Junior Division:
Champion: Marven Abat
2nd Place: Jay-R Esquivel
3rd Place: Benito Nerida
4th Place: Jeffrey Esquivel