MANILA, Philippines - French champion Louis Hutter and Norweigian titlist Malin Amle confirmed their participation in the ICTSI Philippine Kiteboarding Tour, guaranteeing a fierce battle for kiteboarding supremacy in the second leg of the circuit which fires off tomorrow in Bulabog Beach Boracay.
Hutter and Amle, ranked Nos. 13 and 15, respectively, in the PKRA world tour, will be among the more than 100 participants from different countries vying in the three-day event organized by the Philippine Kiteboarding Association and sponsored by top port operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
Ukraine champion Andrey Salnik also makes a return stint in Boracay, where he won in the Kiteboard Tour Asia Boracay in 2013, while Japanese ace and former Freestyle Asian titlist Aya Oshima seeks her first crown in the event which features Race, Hangtime (longest airtime) and Freestyle.
Austrian Julia Tausch, who topped the Freestyle women’s side in the kickoff leg of the circuit in Sta. Ana, Cagayan last month, is also back for a crack at another crown in the event backed by Cabrinha, LIP Sunglasses, District of Boracay, Diamond Watersports, The Lady Dog Bed & Breakfast, Ultimate Apparel and Boracay Terraces Resort.
Young ace and Boracay bet Christian Tio, the world junior No. 2 who placed third in Hangtime in Sta. Ana, is also seeing action with Ortiz also bidding to score back-to-back title romp in the TwinTip Race Masters of the event supported by Lemoni Café, Valhalla, Boracay Box and Ladder and Bahari Beach Resort.
Meanwhile, Ortiz said this year’s tour will consist of four legs and feature new destination stops in the PKA’s continuing effort to promote the sport and showcase the Philippines as one of Asia’s top kitesurfing destinations.
“This tour is aimed not only to produce future kiteboarding champions, who can represent us in various international competitions but also to promote the sport and the country’s pristine beaches, exotic locations, and great tourist and food attractions,” said Ortiz.
For details, call 632-638-9273 or 0917-4123888 or email PKAtour@yahoo.com or joanne3santos@hotmail.com or facebook at philippinekiteboardingtour.