Philippines Surfing Scene 2024

The Philippines surfing scene has continued to evolve in 2024, building on its reputation as one of Asia's premier surfing destinations. With its diverse break points and growing international recognition, the archipelago has been drawing both recreational surfers and competitive athletes from around the globe. This year, Siargao hosted the Philippines’ biggest surfing event to date, the WSL Siargao International Surfing Cup QS5000. We can only expect more to come. It's an exciting time to be part of a growing sport and industry, why not get involved in 2025?

Marama’s Path to Qualification

Marama Tokong, one of the Philippines' most promising surfers, has been representing the country on various platforms. Coming from the surfing haven of Siargao, Tokong's journey exemplifies the growing prominence of Filipino talent in international surfing.

As the first Filipino to qualify for the Challenger Series (CS) in 2023, the pressure has definitely been on with the task of securing a top 5 ranking in the Qualifying Series (QS) to make the CS once again. Marama is currently ranked #11 on the Asian QS league, a ranking he will be seeking to advance on coming QS events in Australia. Whilst he is not in the top 5 as of now, this is an impressive rank considering he missed 3 big events in Japan. (For full Asia QS rank visit https://www.worldsurfleague.com/athletes/tour/mqs?regionId=6&year=2024)

His technical prowess, particularly in handling the challenging Cloud 9 break, has continued to impress observers and fellow competitors alike. Marama’s mastery of his homebreak caught the attention of stab magazine (see full article here: https://stabmag.com/news/man-with-two-first-names-continues-competitive-mastery-of-cloud-9/) a massive feat in itself, solidifying his international recognition as the Cloud 9 master.

Make sure to follow Marama on his journey by following his instagram @maramatokong

Philippines “On the Rise” on global surf stage

With each year that passes, the Philippines is gaining more prominence on an international stage. Other than Marama, other athletes proved Filipino surfing talent to be a force against recognized greats. Kai Alcala, a Siargao born now living in Australia is currently ranked #27 on the Australian Junior Championships for U16 Boys. Malia Ilagan, an American born Filipina is currently #1 on the Women’s longboard tour. Jay-R Esquival made huge waves this year ranking #4 on the World Longboard Tour, getting further than any Pinoy surfer ever.

Top groms, Noah Arkfeld and Troy Espejon have been invited to compete in the upcoming World Junior Championships (Jan 13-19). This is the biggest surfing event in the Philippines to date, and this is a great opportunity for our young Pinoy talent to show what they can do on an international platform. Competing in events is not cheap, so Troy and Noah are fundraising for the event.

 Click here for more info

National Events

2024 hosted a string of national surfing events throughout the country. Surfers from all over the Philippines travelled to different breaks across the archipelago, sharing waves and showcasing their skills. Some of these events, those sanctioned by UPSA, give surfers the opportunity to qualify for the national team (see ​​https://upsa.ph/ for more)

Regional Surfing Hubs

While Siargao remains the country's surfing capital, other destinations have been gaining prominence:

• La Union has reinforced its position as the "Surfing Capital of the North," hosting various events and training programs
• Baler, Aurora continues to be a crucial spot for both beginners and intermediate surfers
• Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte has seen growing attention from the surfing community
• Cabugao, just a couple hours more north of Elyu is attracting more visitors every year
• Calicoan is another island surfing paradise in Samar

There is still much to explore throughout the country - there is so much coast. We don’t want to be ‘that guy’ who exposes an undercover spot. We suggest you just grab your surfboard, get your surf kit in order and go on a surf adventure!

CELEBRATING 2025

We are excited to see what 2025 has to bring. The year will be kicking off strong with two WSL events in La Union this January. These are the World Junior Championships (Jan 13-19) and La Union International Pro LQS1000 (Jan 20-22)

Why not check our wipeout offerings so you can get your kit together for the surf trip of your dreams? We have up to 50% selected items! To shop, just click here https://www.ksboardriders.com/collections/sale

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