Bohol Wakefest 2012 set on May 25-June 25

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — There was the paragliding launched last year in Danao town, the first of its kind in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Now it’s time for Bohol Wakefest 2012 to make a splash starting May 25 until June 25 in the island-barangay of Pandanon and hosted by Getafe town, said the organizers of the event.

Organizers, Getafe municipal officials and Board Shop, a Singapore-based company for gear shop in Southeast Asia, said they expected the event to spur tourism and create job opportunities and development.

Getafe town Councilor Tony Ouano, tourism committee chair and administrator, and former mayor Theresa Camacho, in a press conference, said the event would be a stepping stone to make this once sleepy town recognized in the tourism radar worldwide.

Officials here boasted of the nature-blessed town, especially its rich marine resources and sites, like the seaweeds farms and seahorse sanctuary, and the largest man-made mangrove forest in Asia that had became the model of other countries.

Spectators of the big water sporting event “can expect to experience the thrill and fun brought by wakeboarding,” said Jannete Beltran, a professional wakeboarder herself and Board Shop marketing executive.

Professional participants in the month-long festival will include those from Singapore and Thailand and other places in the country, organizers said.

Ouano said safety of the wakeboarders, sanitation and carrying capacity of island are well considered. Since room accommodation is lacking and there are only three pension houses in Getafe, town officials are putting up what they called homestay for the participants and tourists, he said.

Wakeboarding “is one of the fastest growing sports in the world,” said organizers, adding that this surface water sport is a combination of water skiing, snowboarding and surfing techniques, with the wakeboarder being pulled by a speed boat or a cable system.

The organizers said wakeboarders or wakeskaters “from all over Asia and the Philippines will be showing off their skills with a demo” at the Ouano Beach Resort in Pandanon island where the wakeboarding will take place. —(FREEMAN)