Wakeboarding thrilla

MANILA, Philippines – I got into the sport of wakeboarding around 1993-1994 when my family was still based in Thailand. We had a cable park minutes away from our village, and all the neighborhood kids would go there and just mess about.

I was already a very active skateboarder and all-around adrenalin junky at that time. Initially it didn’t come easy to me, and I did have to pay my dues, but once I got over that hump, the progression was fast and steady.

When my parents decided to buy me and my brother gear to ride more regularly, that’s when my skill really started to present itself.

When our family had to leave Thailand, I seriously didn’t touch or think of wakeboarding for the next 10 years.

Being back in the Philippines by this time I discovered Lago De Oro, and really haven’t stopped riding ever since. I found out that the sport had been around since the early 90s.

Even after 10 years I still had all my stock tricks, but now I had a hunger to catch up with the sport that I truly love.

I’ve been riding professionally now since 2006, courtesy of the massive support I get from my main sponsor Stoked Inc. I’ve had the privilege to travel all over the Philippines and the world to compete and do demos, the most recent of which, was the 2011 SEA Games in Indo where I was able to bag a bronze.

My favorite part of wakeboarding is that there’s always something new to learn, regardless of what riding level you are in. If you can learn to appreciate the little things like that, it makes life so much easier.

Now that I’m a little older, I feel like I’m actually riding stronger, and because of this my friend Samantha Bermudez and I have put up a wakeboard camp called Pinoy Wake Camp to spread the stoked to anybody who wants to learn wakeboarding. We can be contacted via philippinewakecamp@yahoo.com. – Rappler.com