The Philippines is becoming a world class kiteboarding destination in the winter months of December to April due to our strong consistent amihan wind and warm waters. In the last five years alone, we have been part of the Kiteboard Tour Asia, with ICTSI even hosting our very own Philippine Kiteboard Tour which is now on its second season kicking off in Siargao Island and ending in Palawan on March.
Blue Kiteboarding / Facebook
Season after season, different sub disciplines in kiteboarding are entering the Philippine Kite Scene on different parts of our country: Kite Racing in Soloviento, Kite Expeditions and Downwinders in Puerto Galera, Freestyle Kiteboarding in Boracay, Kitesurfing in Pagudpud, and, just this year, Wakestyle kiteboarding in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
But the excitement doesn’t there.
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open will be the first-ever international wakestyle kiteboarding competition in Asia. On top of that, the event will also open the doors to the first world class kiteboarding terrain park in the region. Hosting the kiteboard open is Blue Palawan, the newest boutique hotel in Puerto Princesa. Blue Palawan is the only hotel in the city center with a white sand beach front. And their waters are perfect for kiteboarding.
From the different sub groups in kiteboarding, wakestyle kiteboarding uses state of the art wakeboard style floating features (sliders and kickers) similar to a wakeboard park ramp, except that it doesn’t use electricity, boats, or a cable system. Riders are completely harnessed by the power of the wind through a kite. And in a country with more than 5 wakeboard cable systems around the country, it is only a matter of time that wakestyle kiteboarding would catch up.
Blue Kiteboarding / Facebook
Blue Kiteboarding / Facebook
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open will also mark the first leg of a future wakestyle kiteboarding tour, kicking off in Blue Palawan on January, heading next to North Carolina for the Triple S invitational in June, and then sealed with the Hood River Slider Jam in Oregon in August.
Check out this cool video of Filipino kiteboarder Paula Rosales, one of the organizers for the event, shredding in the waters of Blue Palawan:
On January 13-19, top wakestyle kiteboarders from around the world, including Philippines’ very own Paula Rosales, USA’s Brandon Scheid, World Champion Karolina Winkowska from Poland, and ASW Kiteboarder of the year Colleen Carroll from the USA, are all coming to Blue Palawan to partake in the making of this piece in kiteboarding history.
Be part of that piece in kiteboarding history, too. Come join the adventure. More details in the links below.
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
www.bluekiteboarding.com
Facebook: Blue Kiteboarding
Instagram: @bluekiteboarding
Facebook Event Page: www.facebook.com/events/861941153874186/
Blue Palawan
www.bluepalawan.com
Facebook: Blue Palawan
Instagram: @bluepalawan