Wakeboarding

A relatively new sport in the Philippines, wakeboarding has already been dubbed as the “next watersport in the country” and the fastest growing watersport in the world. This sport is organized by the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation and has been part of the World Games since 2005. It is currently not part of any Olympic event, however.

Developed in the United States in the 1980's, wakeboarding was created by surfers and snowboarders as an alternative water sport. It was only five years ago when wakeboarding entered the mainstream sporting in the Philippines, its new found popularity due to TV personalities and celebrities who take interest and promote the sport.

In wakeboarding, a rider standing on a small board is attached in a cable and towed behind by a motor boat, typically at 18–24 miles per hour depending on the water conditions, board size, rider's weight, and his prefered speed. The motor boat causes a large wave (known as “wake”) behind and the rider swerves and cuts the water by rocking the board.

Wakeboarding is a combination of snowboarding, waterskiing, skate boarding, and surfing techniques. Standing sideways, a rider uses a single board with stationary non-release bindings for the feet to keep them fixed in one position. A typical wakeboard is about 130 – 147cm long and up to 45cm wide, shorter and wider compared to a snowboard. The water course usually has ramps and elevations used for the maneuvers and freestyling of the rider. Once he gets the hang of it, he can steer the board by a combination of direction and launch himself momentarily in the air.

Another form of wakeboarding has started becoming popular in Philippine watersports—the cable wakeboarding. Instead of being pulled by a boat, a rider is attached and pulled by an overhead cableski system. Many sports enthusiasts choose this kind of wakeboarding because it is less expensive. Currently, there are two cable parks in the Philippines, one in the Camsur Watersports Complex in Pili, Camarines Sur, and the other in Lago de Oro in Calatagan, Batangas.

Learning this sport can be tough especially for one with no prior experience in surfing or skiing whatsoever. But neophytes in watersports need not worry; there are wakeboard lessons and seminars held around the country. The first thing one has to master is surfing. After this, wakeboarding won't be as hard as others think.

Sources:
http://www.cwcwake.com
http://www.thewwa.com
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/you/2bu/view/20071106-99248/Wakeboarding_101