San juan: The country's best talents, bannered by World No. 8 Rogelio Esquievel Jr., are expected to face a strong challenge at the World Surf League (WSL) La Union International Pro in San Juan.
According to Philippines News Agency, Daisy Dela Torre, Roger Casogay, Mara Lopez, and rookie Jomarie Ebueza are the other local contenders in the five-day event, which offers two slots per gender in the World Longboard Tour. 'Local knowledge is a huge advantage, especially when the waves get bigger and trickier. We're hoping for big waves this week," hometown hero Esquievel said in a news release Wednesday.
The locals will be up against Japan's Natsumi Taoka (2025 runner-up), Brazil's Phil Rajzman (two-time winner), Portugal's Ant³nio Dantas, Italy's Ginger Caimi, Japan's Taka Inoue and his sister, Kaede (2024 champion), New Zealand's Jack Tyro, Great Britain's Ben Skinner, and the USA's Katlin Mikkelsen and Rachel Tilly. Also joining are Mare Robroch (Netherlands), Noah Hogle (USA), Alana Johnson (Hawaii), and Raony Portilla (France).
'The PSC hosted surf competitions in Siargao, Baler, and now La Union. These are truly fantastic surfing destinations. Every surfer I meet suggests a new island, each claiming to be better than the rest. That kind of competition promotes the Philippines as a premier surfing hub,' Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairperson Patrick Gregorio said during the press conference, which was also attended by Will Hayden-Smith, WSL director for Longboard; John Carby, SDMI sports technical director; and Marven Abat, La Union Surf Club president.
'We are looking forward to making this hosting even bigger and better in the years ahead. Beyond the competition itself, this effort is about charging up the local economy and positioning our country as a global sports tourism driver, showcasing the Philippines on the world stage,' said Gregorio, who also heads the National Sports Tourism - Inter-Agency Committee (NST-IAC).
"If we really want to promote the Philippines as a sports tourism destination through surfing, this is the way to go. The PSC and NST-IAC are just so happy to support this initiative, especially if we see a lot of tourists visiting our country,'' he added.
