Tanauan rider wins for RP in 1st Malaysian International Skimboarding tilt

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
July 14, 2007

PENANG, Malaysia  –  The Philippines once again shines in international sports when Leo Espada, a 19 year old rider from Tanauan, Leyte won the first Malaysian International Skim-boarding Competition at Batu Feranghi, Penang, Malaysia today.

The young Filipino rider bested thirty three other skimboarders from Hongkong, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, making the Philippines the king in the watersports called skimboarding.

When interviewed by the Philippine Information Agency, the young Champion said, now he knows the happiness that one feels when he is able to give honor to his country and the pressure that one gets when he is representing his country and knowing that one really has to make good so that the country will not be put in bad light. Leo or Longcoy for short proudly raised the Filipino banner as he was receiving his trophy.

The other rider from Tanauan, Leyte, Darrel Espada, who is also representing the Philippines won as third runner up. The Philippines fielded only two players and both of them won.

The other winners are Singapore's Darimi Mohammad as first runner up and Singapore's Alfian Affandi Juma-at as second runner up.

The first Malaysian International Competition was organized by the Pooskimboards in cooperation with the Tourism Malaysia, under the Visit Malaysia 2007 program, in connection with the 50th Anniversary of Malaysia's Nationhood.

The two Filipino skimboarders' trip to Malaysia was sponsored by Victoria Skimboards, the Provincial Government of Leyte thru Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla and the local government of Tanauan, Leyte. The two Filipino riders were the winners in the 3rd National Skimboarding Competition held in April, 2007 at Tanauan which is the skimboarding capital of the Philippines.

The Filipino riders were accompanied by Tanauan Mayor Roque A. Tiu who was the guest of honor and the one who gave the awards to the winners, his wife Olive, James and Rizza Ferguson, the Skimboarding Wahini Champion Sheryl Pajelleno who was one of the judges representing the Philippines and two staff from the local government of Tanauan Darwin Parilla and Eugene Ramos and the representative of Mr. Freddie Gonzales of Victoria Skimboards, Mr. Martin Legarda.