BORONGAN CITY– Established names overpowered their rivals in the recently-concluded national surfing competition held this city.
The Surf City Borongan Master’s 2023, the fourth leg of the NextGen Pilipinas Surfing Tour, drew 97 surfers from across the country.
The event’s headline featured a back-to-back victories by Rogelio Esquivel Jr. from La Union in the Men’s Open Longboard category. The World No. 8 longboard surfer secured his win against Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Roger Casugay.
Vea Estralado of Sorsogon continued her winning streak as she dominated the Women’s Open Shortboard, replicating her success from the previous leg in Akkaw Baler.
Mara Lopez of La Union emerged victorious in both the Junior Girls Shortboard and Junior Girls Longboard categories, showcasing her exceptional talent on the waves.
Siargao’s pride, Robert Magaluna, claimed the top spot in the Men’s Open Shortboard, while Toby Espejon from Siargao triumphed in the Junior Boys Shortboard, defeating his brother Troy who settled for second place.
Ashlee Lopez of La Union conquered the Women’s Open Longboard, securing her second title of the season after a previous triumph in Pagudpud.
The youngest competitor, 10-year-old Jeiru Aribuabo of Vigan, Ilocos Sur showcased remarkable skills, dominating the first-ever Junior Boys Longboard category introduced in this leg of the national surfing tour.
Borongan City’s own Carlos Aga Jr. took home the Master’s category, adding a touch of local pride to the competition.
The city of Borongan has been a steadfast host of the national competition since 2019, attracting surfing enthusiasts from across the country and contributing to increased tourism and economic development.
After competing in Borongan, surfers are gearing up for the final showdown in La Union, marking the culmination of the national surfing competition.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
