The 1st Philippine Longboarding Team had been in Sydney since late last week acclimating themselves to Sydney and practising their skills in the tournament which will be held at Newton’s Playground Bathurst, New South Wales. {{more}}
This year is the first time that Filipino extreme athletes will represent the country in the world championships. They will also be the second Asian team to join the world championships, next to Malaysia.
Top Philippine riders Gerard Cancio, Raphael Arcenas and Lasse Holopainen will be the country’s representative to this year’s world championships.
In a press release, the Filipino athletes said that the world championships will also be their debut in the international longboarding race circuit.
The team says they are hoping to qualify for the finals round in the competition against the best and the fastest racers in the world.
“While this will be our debut on the international race circuit, the experience and the opportunity to race with the best in the world will certainly boost our skills and our confidence to encourage us to compete in other international races in the months and years to come,” the team added.
The statement also said that the Filipino longboarders also believe that they will bring their skills in the competition not only to win awards but also to inspire other Filipinos to engage in the sport: “We believe that Filipinos can be competitive at the highest international levels at extreme sports. By our participation, we hope to bring inspiration to our countrymen as well as spread awareness of our sport.”
Longboard skateboarding, a sport that was derived from wave surfing in the urban areas of the United States, reached the Philippines only in recent years but it is currently considered one of the fastest growing board sport in the world today. In Asia, the Philippines has been at the forefront of the development of the sport, and it is thus no wonder that the country is one of the first Asian teams to join the world championships. This year, the World Championships for Downhill Skateboard Racing will be held at at Bathurst, Australia on November 27 to 29, 2010.
For more information and updates on the Philippine team, click on www.longboardsmanila.com.
