Philippine’s Alcala claims Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational

Friday, October 10, 2008

Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational

Philippine’s Edito Alcala Wins Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational In Perfect Barrels

Philippines surfer Edito ‘Peso’ Alcala is the new king of Cloud 9 after defeating the world’s best tube riders to win the prestigious Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational at the remote island of Siargao in the Philippines. Cloud 9, an ultra perfect right hand reef break, lived up to expectation, serving out epic 2-2.5 metre barrelling waves for the final day of competition surfing.

Local ace Alcala, who learned to surf at the revered break, rode barrel after perfect barrel to beat defending title holder Wade Goodall (Caloundra, Qld, Aus) in a tight 35-minute man-on-man final. “I’m so happy,” said Alcala, who surfed away with $7,500 (USD) for his efforts. “It’s a dream come true to win this event and beating the reigning champion in the final makes it that much more sweeter. I’m stocked.”

But 20-year-old Alcala didn’t have it all his own way in the final, having to fight back from a slow start to take home a last-minute victory over Goodall in front of a vocal Philippines crowd. Sitting in second with two minutes to go and with priority, Alcala jagged a set wave before weaving through the belly of a Cloud 9 cavern to jag a heat-winning 9.43 ride. Alcala finishing on a final two wave combined total of 18.16-points to Goodall’s 17.77.

“I wasn’t expecting that last wave to come through,” he said. “I could tell it was a good one when it barrelled all the way down the reef. All my friends were in the channel watching and were hooting me after I flicked off. I just knew that I got the score.”

Sunshine Coast star Goodall, who heads home with $4,500 (USD) for his runner-up placing today, couldn’t replicate the barrel riding performance that saw him take out last year’s event and was clearly disappointed with the end result.

“I wanted it really badly,” said Goodall. “He was chasing me the whole final so I new if a good wave came that he was going to get it because he’s so good in the pit out there. It’s bittersweet really.” Earlier in the day, Goodall posted the event’s only 10-point ride in the first semi-final. Tucking into a Cloud 9 beast, Goodall came flying out before taking to the sky with a radical aerial manoeuvre to be awarded the perfect ride.

 

Edito Alcala : photo Jake White

“When we woke up the heats were running super early and the waves were just pumping,” said Goodall. “It was an unexpected swell. No one knew it was coming and it seemed to get better throughout the morning, especially in my semi-final.” Finishing in equal third today was Hawaii’s Granger Larsen, who was eliminated by Goodall in semi-final one, and Indonesia’s Lee Wilson, who went down to Alcala in a closely fought semi two.

What separates the Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational from standard competitive surfing is that invited contestants are involved in deciding what conditions they will surf in. With only two full days required to finalise the competition and a seven-day competition window, organisers have the luxury to wait for ideal conditions in which to run the event during Cloud 9’s prime swell period.

Due to Siargao’s proximity to the Philippines, big swells from the Pacific Ocean roll in from the second deepest stretch of water in the world to create flawlessly hollow waves. The Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational is proudly supported by the Provincial Government of Surigao Del Norte with support from the Department of Tourism Philippines. (globalsurfnews)

 Surfing Video

Australian Wade Goodall Gunning For Consecutive Crowns At 2008 Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational

Thursday, September 18, 2008

AUSTRALIAN surfer Wade Goodall (Caloundra, Qld, Aus) will be gunning for back-to-back Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational crowns when the second annual tournament gets underway at the remote, island jewel of Siargao in the Philippines this weekend.

The Sunshine Coast ace rode barrel after faultless barrel to topple a talented-stacked field following three days of absolute perfection during the inaugural tournament in 2007.

Cloud 9, once nominated as one of the ten best waves in the world, will once again set the scene for a tube-riding showdown with an international field of surfers confirmed to compete in the world’s premier tube-riding tournament scheduled for September 20-26, 2008.

Reigning title holder Goodall, who beat Gold Coast goofy-footer Nick Vasicek in ideal 1.5-2-metre tubes, is excited about the prospect of again surfing perfect barrels in this year’s tournament.

“Cloud 9’s tubes were the best waves I have ever had in a contest and just to have the opportunity to go there again is a real treat,” said Goodall.

“The place is really special to me. I turned 21 on the barge on the way over to the inaugural tournament and the last three days of competition were just full of perfect barrels. Hopefully, we’ll get similar conditions for this year’s event.”
An ultra perfect right hander located on the southeast coast of the Philippines, the Cloud 9 event has attracted confirmation from some of the world’s most prolific tube riders, including 2006 Pipeline Master Jamie O’Brien (Hawaii) and professional big wave rider Makua Rothman (Hawaii), as well as fearless Australian chargers Laurie Towner (Yamba, NSW, Aus) and Dylan Longbottom (Coolangatta, Qld, Aus).
48 surfers from Hawaii , Japan , Australia , Indonesia , Israel and 12 local wildcards will compete in a specialised format, which culminates in man on man heats. What separates the Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational from standard competitive surfing is that invited contestants are involved in deciding what conditions they will surf in.

With only two full days required to finalise the competition and a seven-day competition window, organisers have the luxury to wait for ideal conditions in which to run the event during Cloud 9’s prime swell period.
Bolstering to the tournament’s already premier line-up of surfers is the inclusion of 2006 event champion Ryan Hipwood (Mermaid Beach, Qld, Aus) and renowned aerialist Dave Reardon-Smith (Yaroomba, Qld, Aus), along with a host of Hawaiians including Jason Shibata, TJ Barron, Dustin Cuizon, Charlie Carroll, Granger Larsen and Mikala Jones.
Renowned Balinese surfers Rahtu Suargita, Lee Wilson, Marlon Gerber, Wyan ‘Kopling’ Wirtima, Made ‘Raditya’ Rhondi, Mustofa Jeksen and Tipi Jabrik will also travel to the neighbouring Philippines to contest the specialty event and will no doubt push the performance levels of the international field.

Due to Siargao’s proximity to the Philippines , big swells from the Pacific Ocean roll in from the second deepest stretch of water in the world to create flawlessly hollow waves.

The Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational is proudly supported by the Provincial Government of Surigao Del Norte with support from the Department of Tourism Philippines .

Official Entry List:

1) Ryan Hipwood (Aus)
2) Made ‘Raditya’ Rhondi ( Bali )
3) Wyan ‘Kopling’ Wirtima ( Bali )
4) Steven Walsh (Aus)
5) TJ Barron (Haw)
6) Dave Reardon-Smith (Aus)
7) Jason Shibata (Haw)
8) Lee Wilson ( Bali )
9) Tipi Jabrik ( Bali )
10) Wade Goodall (Aus)
11) Damien Wills (Aus)
12) Dustin Cuizon (Haw)
13) Makua Rothman (Haw)
14) Jamie O’Brien (Haw)
15) Charlie Carroll (Haw)
16) Dylan Longbottom (Aus)
17) Michael Brennan (Aus)
18) Laurie Towner (Aus)
19) Mikala Jones (Haw)
20) Made Adi ‘Bol’ Putra ( Bali )
21) Marlon Gerber ( Bali )
22) Shinpei Horguchi ( Japan )
23) Granger Larson (Haw)
24) Michael Hopkins (Aus)
25) Mark Visser (Aus)
26) Yonatan Klein ( Israel )
27) Gil Zilkha ( Israel )
28) Rahtu Suargita ( Bali )
29) Mustofa Jeksen ( Bali )
30) Adam Bennetts (Aus)
+ 6 riders TBC
+12 Philippines Wildcards

1st Siargao Invitational Game Fishing Tournament

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo leads the ceremonial fishing of the 1st Siargao Invitational Game Fishing Tournament in Pilar, Surigao del Norte. Siargao island is famous for its surfing waves, long stretch of white sand beaches, vast mangrove forest, pristine mountain lakes, unique limestone forest and deep waters teeming with a plethora of marine life. Assisting the President is Pilar Mayor Lucio Gonzales, Rep. Francisco Matugas of the First District of Surigao del Norte. (in red ). (Rrodolfo Manabat-OPS/NIB Photo)

 By Lilybeth G. Ison

PILAR, Siargao Island, April 17

In her commitment to bolster development in the countryside, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Thursday formally opened the 1st Game-fishing Tournament here.

In her keynote speech during the opening rites, the President said development in rural areas is not just promoting agriculture nor putting up more infrastructure projects, but also develop other aspects such as tourism and environmental protection.

She said this game-fishing tournament and the now world-famous surfing activity in Siargao has put the Island in the world tourism map.

“Siargao will now be known as an adventure-tourism destination in the Philippines,” she added.

President Arroyo however, said that to attract more investments and tourists to come to the Island, “we must improve our facilities such as infrastructure and water system.”

As such, she turned over a P10 million check to the local government in the area for the improvement of water system in the entire Siargao Island.

The President also announced that she had directed the Department of Health (DoH) for the upgradiug of government-operated Siargao Hospital.

She also released some P72 million check for the completion of the Sayak Airport located in Del Carmen town, which she earlier ordered to fasttrack its expansion to boost tourism activity in the area.

On the other hand, 1st Dist. Rep. Francisco “Lalo” Matugas, in an interview, said the tournament marked as another milestone in the history of Siargao Island wherein renowned anglers from all over the world came and participated in the event.

He said this gamefishing event, the first-ever to be held in the country, has definitely put Siargao in the map as another “must see” tourist destination.

Around 75 participants from 15 countries joined the three-day sports event including three of the Philippines’ leading gamefishing clubs –the Philippine Gamefishing Foundation, the Philippine Sports Fishing Club, and the Silver Jack Fishing Club of Manila.

Big prizes await individual winners for the highest weight points and the biggest and heaviest catch.

Meanwhile, Pilar town Mayor Lucio Gonzales said “this is probably the moment for Pilar to be given due recognition for its inherent potentials that not all municipalities in Siargao can offer.”

“This gamefishing tournament is the avenue for us to boost our pride being Pilarnons, which for a long time had never given an opportunity to be recognized especially in the potentials we have in terms of tourism aspect,” he said.

The event had also helped provide a sweeping development of basic infrastructures in the town, especially the repair of road network from Osmena to the town proper and also the road connecting to the famous Magpopongko rock formation and natural swimming pool, another tourism site located about three kilometers from Pilar town proper, he added.

Meanwhile, Tourism Caraga Director Letty Tan said the game-fishing event in Pilar “will be added in the roster of sports activities in Siargao Island next to the already world famous surfing competition in Gen. Luna town slated every second week of September.”

“The improvement of the tourism potentials of Pilar will be our next agenda in our department because we have seen the positive response especially the local government unit (LGU) who is willing and able to work closely with us on how we can possibly improve the basic tourism facilities they have,” she said.

The DoT had conducted a “homestay training” to those interested resident owners in Pilar who are willing to accomodate tourists.

Tan said the home-stay program will cater and provide an answer to the much-needed hotel accomodations in the town.

The DoT also conducted training for boatmen for them to be able to acquire know-how on the proper facilitation of anglers that will be riding their boats going to the fishing site.

The President was accompanied here by Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, Trade Secretary Peter Favila and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye. (PNA)

source file from: balitapinoy.net