MANILA, Philippines - Siargao Island, the country’s international surfing capital, takes center stage once more as it hosts the newest tourism sporting event, the first-ever Siargao Adventure Race to be held at Santa Monica town, Oct. 4 to 6.
The race proper, set on Oct. 5, will involve off-road running, trekking, orienteering and rappelling, covering 30 kilometers of the island’s spectacular scenery and rugged terrain.
Competitors will be taken to less travelled tourist spots like Alegria white sand beach and Taktak falls to help boost tourism in the countryside.
Sta. Monica is a rural fishing town in northern Siargao which boasts of a five-kilometer stretch of white sand beach, waterfalls, hidden coves, caves, islets with beautiful coral reef teeming with fishes, and vast mangrove forest.
Sta. Monica Mayor Rosalinda Penera said that the event will showcase the town’s natural beauty and attract the attention of the national government and private entities to provide infrastructure support, livelihood programs, and business opportunities to the community.
She said that participants and visitors are encouraged to join in the mangrove planting at the Mangrove Park, Budol-Budol Fight, Sapao-Sapao Festival,
Discovery Sta. Monica Tour, and San Miguel Corporation’s nightly entertainment.
Penera added that island tours will also offered to competitors and visitors for a minimal fee so they can discover Siargao’s other interesting spots.
Meanwhile, Department of Tourism – Region 13 director Leticia Tan said that the event will further bolster Caraga region’s positioning as a frontier for sports and adventure tourism.
She said that aside from the annual surfing tilts, Caraga is also host to the Lanuza Surfing Cup in Surigao del Sur, the Game Fishing Cup in Pilar, Siargao and the Baoto Festival regatta at Lake Mainit in Agusan del Norte.
Entry fee is P1,500 for each two-man team, open to both Filipinos and foreigners, which will cover event shirts, full-board meals, and transfers within the island. Winners will receive a total prize money of P 100,000 plus trophies.
Patterned after the popular reality TV show Amazing Race, Siargao Adventure Race is supported by the Provincial and Congressional District of Surigao del Norte, the Department of Tourism and the Philippine Surfing Federation.
For registration details, visit www.siargaosantamonica.com <http://www.siargaosantamonica.com/> or call +63929-6721508 <tel:63929-6721508> .