June 17, 2006

By DIANE CASTILLEJO-GARCIA
with JACKIE CASTILLEJO

Sports Unlimited got a wakeboard awakening in Camarines Sur. Our team did not realize how popular this water sport has become, not just in the Philippines but also all over the world. Camarines Sur is now officially in the global map as one of the best wakeboard destinations in Asia.

Sports Unlimited could not wait to experience wakeboarding in what is considered now as the biggest wakeboarding cable park in Asia. If you are a regular Sports Unlimited viewer, you would know that we are no strangers to the sport. We heard how great the place is that's why we traveled all the way to Naga with high expectations.

We were told that the Camsur Watersports Complex is six acres. Upon arriving at Naga, we were totally surprised when we were told that the cable park was merely 10 minutes away from the airport. The travel was so convenient.

The minute we arrived at the cable park, Camarines Sur Governor Lray Villafuerte welcomed us with so much excitement. We were just as enticed to meet him and see his latest contribution to the development of sports tourism in his province.

He made sure we knew that the complex was nowhere near finished. He said the complex will have a full service country club, comfortable airconditioned cabins within walking distance to the cable park, a bar serving delicious drinks and cool sounds to set the extreme water sports mood. This will make wakeboarders stay in the complex and enjoy what they came to do—to wakeboard to their heart's content.

We were very impressed by the state of the art German-made cable ski system inside the park.

My partner Marc, an avid wakeboarder, wakeboards any chance he gets. He just couldn’t wait to experience what it feels like to do it in a world-class facility. He surely looked like a spoiled wakeboarding brat. He could not contain his excitement knowing that now all he needs to do is get to Camarines Sur to experience ultimate wakeboarding.

I am not as big a wakeboard fan as Marc Nelson. But I must say that wakeboarding in Camarines Sur was the most fun experience I’ve had.

The water there is fresh and the temperature is absolutely perfect for wakeboarding. At the bottom, you can find sand as opposed to rocks other water sports venues have. It will really make you feel that you are in the beach.

The cable system is beginner-friendly and expert instructors are in the park all day to enthusiastically introduce the sport to first timers. My sister, Jackie was a first-timer. Marc did not leave her until she agreed to give the cable system a shot.

It was cool that Paolo Araneta, Marc's wakeboarding buddy and a noted promoter of the sport, was there with us. Paolo brought a huge group from Manila and traveled to Camarines sur via a very big bus just so everyone could enjoy the wakeboard wonderland.

This year's week-long Kaogma Festival, which coincided with the 426th founding anniversary of Camarines Sur, culminated last May 27. Governor Villafuerte went all out and pulled all the stops out to show the rest of the Philippines that Camarines Sur is oozing with adventure. He also showed that Bicolanos in this part of the country are "gung-ho" and very up for the game especially when it comes to extreme sports.

International wakeboarders from all over the world were also invited to experience wakeboarding in the province. The visitors could not get enough of the cable park, the warmth of the Bicolanos, the sumptuousness of Bicolano cuisine and of course, the ideal weather conditions for wakeboarding in the Philippines.

There was really intense action in the place.

There were over 50 amateur boxing bouts that showed that the next Manny Pacquiao could possibly come from Camarines Sur.

The festival, all in all, showed the big picture and goal the governor has for the province to make it a premier adventure destination in Asia and a world-renowned wakeboarding venue.

Camarines Sur has the only cable park in the Philippines where you can wakeboard long after the sun goes down. Night wakeboarding, how radical is that?

It was a unique feeling for Marc and I to do that kind of watersports at night. The video may not be very clear but we hope we were able to show you how unique and wonderful Camarines Sur wakeboarding cable park is.