Makin' waves at Camsur

MANILA, Philippines - The Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) is the most exciting six-hectare area of land you’ll find in the country today. The facility has made the province of Camarines Sur synonymous with sports competitions – not to mention spawning a catchy nickname along the way. Currently, Camsur plays host to internationally-renowned championship events, triathlons and other extreme sports including a globally-recognized reality TV franchise and a marathon that will be at par with the ones in New York and Boston. All of which have transformed Camsur from one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines to one of its richest.

 The man behind it all is Camsur provincial Governor Luis Raymond ‘LRay’ Villafuerte. A few years ago Gov. LRay thought of giving the province a much-needed shot in the arm through Sports Tourism. Bearing the mantra, “If you build it, they will come”, Gov. LRay hit upon the idea of introducing watersports through a modern facility with all the amenities needed to become one of the best in Asiaif not, the world. Thus, the CWC was born.

And they did come. Foreign pro wakeboard athletes from far and wide came to visit the province in 2008 for the World Wakeboard Championship. “It was the biggest, the best wakeboard event ever,” said the governor, himself ranked 3rd in the world of wakeboard competitors for two years last year. International acclaim prompted a repeat performance the next year when Camsur once more hosted the championship event. This time however, they had expanded their scope. Gov. LRay adds, “In 2009, we expanded it to the National Wakeboard Championships. Then we hosted the Asian Wakeboard Championships.”

Located within the Provincial Capitol complex in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur, the CWC boasts of top-of-the-line facilities such as a six-point cable ski system. Two man-made lakes and a wide variety of accommodations welcome visitors as they take advantage of the complex’s recreational facilities. Situated at the smaller lake, Lago Del Rey, wakeboarders get pulled by an overhead cable suspended eight to 12 meters above the water. The entire system runs counter-clockwise around the lake and can pull a wakeboarder across a series of ramps at speeds of 20kph up to 65kph.

Four years after the CWC opened, they were already considered one of the best wakeboard parks in the world. Gov. LRay, could not have been more pleased, “We became the #1 tourist destination (in the country). Last year we beat Cebu and Boracay.” In less than five years’ time Camsur had become, from being the 39th poorest province in the Philippines, to now the 10th richest in income.

The governors’ direction on sports tourism, as well as a few small changes, had paid off. Camsur grew economically with the influx of tourists both foreign and local. “We changed the name from Camarines Sur to Camsur. People thought it was a new province!” he exclaimed. “But that’s just it. We wanted a new image so, new name, new look.”

Global Survivor

Alongside the sporting events, one other prominent factor helped contribute to the presence of Camsur in the global stage. Since anyone could remember, the town of Caramoan at the tip of the Caramoan Peninsula in the Eastern side of Camsur contains white sand beaches, limestone cliff formations, small islands and beautiful forestry. It is one of the few perfect, hidden and isolated getaways the country has to offer.

It is also the site for the French edition of the hit global television reality-series Survivor. “When the French Survivor was looking for a site from all over the world, they actually already chose a spot somewhere in the Mediterranean,” explained Gov. LRay. “But they were also still looking. I told them, ‘Go to Camsur. Spend five minutes here. If you don’t like it, go.’ I even insisted on paying for their airfare and to hire a chopper. When they saw the place, they became the ones who insisted to do the show here already.”

It’s easy enough to see what the lure of Caramoan is. Numerous dive spots, islets untouched by the hand of man, beautiful lagoons, caves, rich marine lifeall lend to a sense of pure isolation from civilization.

As governor, LRay had the upper hand in making sure production of the show stayed in the province, “With Survivor, they asked if we could build a hundred rooms here in three months. I committed and when we did it, they were happy.”

A quick Google check of Camsur now reveals one of two things: It’s either wakeboarding or Caramoan. Not only were the French happy here, the Survivor franchises from Israel, Turkey, Serbia, Sweden and Bulgaria; all have set up their shows in Caramoan’s many islands. As with the province, the exposure and tourist draw made the once poor municipality of Caramoan one of the most popular in the country and the world. Twelve million French viewers, and countless more from other countries, couldn’t be wrong.

Not everything was all about wakeboarding and TV shows, though. Last year Camsur hosted a dragonboat competition, among other things. But, also in that same year, something big happened that turned the province into a certified global contender in the sporting arena.

Ironman 70.3

In 2009, the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Triathlon was held for the first time at the CWC. The Camsur outing would later be known as the most organized in the history of Ironman. The Ironman brand is known across the world as the ultimate test of one’s physical limitations. The 70.3 mile (113.13 km) route took pro athletes through a swim, bike and run course which started at the CWC and traversed the province of Camsur under the grueling heat of the provincial sun. And everybody absolutely loved it.

“(Sunrise Events Inc., president and Alaska Milk Corp., CEO) Fred Uytengsu really wanted to host the Ironman for years,” Gov. LRay explained. “When the World Triathlon Council (WTC) went here to scout for potential sites, it was me who really toured them around. They liked the place but, of course, we were not prepared infrastructure-wise. I told them I am the governor and when I say something I do it.”

On its second year, the Ironman brand is definitely in good hands. From more than 600 participants last year to this year’s 850 competitors, the Ironman 70.3 in Camsur is expected to grow even bigger. Gov. LRay proudly says, “It means we’re doing something right. They come here and they want to come back.”

Uytengsu adds, “I think the first thing we did was open the eyes of triathlon to the Filipino by staging a world class event here. We have the opportunity to bring the world’s best to the Philippines.”

At this year’s Ironman 70.3, the governor prepared something special for the athletes competing in the race. Communities along the route were encouraged to have a contest to see who will have the best entertainment for the racers.

The move had such a positive impact on the racers that it became an experience that was completely new to them. Canadian Magali Tisseyre, the top female finisher of the race exclaims, “If I had to choose one word, it would be ‘inspiring’. During the bike course, there was not one moment where we weren’t cheered on. There was a lot of heart in this race. It was extremely challenging but the fact that people were there on the course; we could feel the culture throughout the race. Everybody was so happy, smiling. It made it a little bit easier because it’s such a challenging race and it’s so hot out there. I would love to be back here next year.”

The feeling was mutual for the women’s second placer, Michellie Jones. “One thing that I found that was really unique to this race, normally, as professionals; we put our heads down and do not really pay attention.” She adds, “But, you had to pay attention every time when you came through the villages. The drums, the kids, everything was yelling and screaming and that’s what makes this race so special. It was a tough, tough race. It doesn’t matter who you are – whether you’re a professional or an amateur athlete or age grouper – this is a tough race but for me, it’s one of the greatest races because of the people supporting us. Often when we’re out there racing it’s very, very lonely. And it was so awesome that we were out there. I took a couple of moments to wave to the children in the villages and it really made this race very special.”

The community involvement was just a lead-in to something bigger that Gov. LRay had in mind. A day before this years’ main Ironman 70.3 event was the inaugural Ironkids Triathlon. Smaller in scale, this triathlon challenged kids in age groups from six to 14 years old. After the last racer had crossed the finish line, the governor and Uytengsu began discussions on making Ironkids a community-based sport involving Camsur’s public school system. Gov. LRay continues, “We’re already talking to schools, we will develop world-class athletes starting at a young age.”

A third place finisher in her age group this year, Senator Pia Cayetano shares, “Camsur is the best venue! All the activities are in and around the CWC: from the race start and finish, the expo, the briefing and the athletes’ dinners, all are in CWC. The entire weekend you feel the Ironman fever, you are inspired, families and friends can walk around and feel the energy.”

The governor has no problem agreeing with that assessment. He enthuses, “If you look at the vibe of the people here, it’s like you’re in a different country.” Even the weather agrees. “We used to have five to 10 typhoons in a year. Now, we haven’t had a typhoon for the past three years,” Gov. LRay observed.

Also placing third in his age group is Ayala Corporation president Fernando Zobel de Ayala who was nothing but all praises for the organizers. “It was a great event. Very, very well-organized,” he exclaimed. “I think Gov. LRay’s done a terrific job in the area just to make it a fun place to come to every year. The accommodations are very nice. We’ll be coming back again next year.”

The Camsur Marathon

On September 26th, Camsur will hold another groundbreaking event that is sure to put the Philippines in the global map once more. The Camsur Marathon 2010 ‘Race to Build a Nation’ will be the biggest marathon in the country which will be accredited by international bodies. A total number of 20,000 runners are already expected to turn out. Gov. LRay projects that this will be another event for the record books, “Our vision is to be the Boston or New York Marathon of the Philippines and Asia. Hopefully by next year it’ll be 30,000 runners.”

Already poised to invite many professional marathon runners across the world, the Camsur Marathon will have 3K, 5K, 10K, 21K and 42K run categories.

Race Director Coach Rio dela Cruz shares, “After close to a year of preparation, our dream of organizing a bona fide international marathon here in the Philippines has finally materialized. This historic running event aims to attract local and foreign athletic delegates, running celebrities, and runners of all fitness levels. The Camsur Marathon is sure to be race worthy and of international stature.”

The race itself is for the benefit of Gawad Kalinga, a nation-building organization that builds houses for impoverished communities and aims to empower poverty-stricken Filipinos through dignity restoration and values transformation. Other beneficiaries include the Organ Donor Card awareness drive and the K.I.D.S Foundation.

A highlight of the marathon is the Gawad Kalinga “Bayanihan Run” category. Here, participating groups race as a team of 15 and commit to raise funds for building GK communities for the poorest of the poor, with at least a minimum of one house to building an entire Legacy Village for a period of three months from June 24 to September 24 of next year.

The Camsur Marathon 2010 is also presented by the Department of Tourism with Summit Water and Smart Communications as major sponsors. Other sponsors are Timex, 100 Plus, Nature Valley and The Philippine STAR.

“Because of the tourism income, we’ve reduced the (province’s) malnourishment rate by 50 percent,” Gov. LRay averred. “Last year, all our elementary school children became scholars of the provincial government.”

Today, Camsur promotes all types of extreme sports. It is their bread and butter, after all. From cross country biking to rock climbing, 4x4 ATV and motocross, there is a place for almost every extreme sport in the world right here.

Gov. LRay continues, “We turned our area from nothing into something. We really wanted to be known for something different. No one in the country has done this. The CWC started everything. Because of our vision and support, it really put Camsur up. And we’re not only in the map of the country; we’re also in the map of the triathlon, wakeboarding and hopefully, marathon scene.” Camsur built it, and now they come.