By Erwin M. Mascariñas
Correspondent
Butuan City — Surfing competitors from Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte province successfully ended its campaign during the final competition South East Asian Games with one gold, two silvers, and a bronze in La Union last Sunday.
Leading the Siargao surfer’s medal win is women surfing legend Nilbie Blancada from General Luna town who defeated Annissa Tita Flynn of Thailand with a final score of 7.65 against 6.35 to win the gold during the finals of Shortboard Open – Women event.
Blancada is no stranger to competitions and awards, as she holds several wins under her name both in the country and in the Southeast Asian surfing circuit like the 2016 Quicksilver Padma Challenge in Indonesia and the 2nd Spot in the 2017 Siargao Women International Cup.
Having won several competitions in the Philippines and Indonesia and competed in other surfing events in the world, Blancada proved that she is not only the best woman surfer in the Philippines and but was recognized by the Asian Surfing Tour as the no.1 female surfer in Asia in 2016.
Another top female surfer from Siargao brought the silver medal; Jevy Mae Agudo won the silver in the longboard open women event against Indonesia’s Dhea Novitasari with final score of 8.20 over 5.25.
While in the longboard open-men, Siargao’s Rogelio Esquievel Jr took the silver medal finishing second to La Union’s local hero Roger Casogay who became a sensation after saving the Indonesian surfer after almost drowning from a freak wave incident.
2019 Siargao International Surfing champion John Mark Tokong took the bronze medal after battling off for the third spot against fellow Siargao surfer and former champion Edito Alcala Jr.
Adding to the medal tally in La Union’s Daisy Valdez, who contributed in a pair of bronze medals in women’s longboard and shortboard events.
The entire Philippine surfing team won two golds, two silver and three bronze for a total of seven medals with three other medals coming from La Union surfers.
