Borongan City’s successful hosting of the first leg of the 10th Philippine Kiteboarding Tour “cements the city’s reputation” as one of the country’s key sports and adventure destinations, an official said on Tuesday.

Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda said the event is a historic moment for Borongan and the province of Eastern Samar, facilitating the entry of similar opportunities given by the Philippine Kiteboarding Association (PKA).

“We are over the moon with our hosting of kiteboarding enthusiasts from around the world. This serves as a testament to the success of our sports tourism campaign, cementing our reputation as a top destination for those seeking the thrill and excitement of sports and adventure while taking in our scenic landscapes,” Agda said in a statement.

About 50 kiters from Ireland, Estonia, Spain, Germany, Lithuania, China, and Thailand participated in the tournament alongside local favorites from Boracay, Palawan, Puerto Galera, Cagbalete, Cebu, and Manila.

They were in Borongan from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 to participate in the first of the four legs of the competition held at Baybay Beach. It was organized by the PKA with the support of International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

The mayor added that aside from promoting sports tourism, they also encourage people to visit natural attractions in the city located in their forest cover managed by various people’s organizations.

“Sixty percent of our land area is rainforest, and we are bent on protecting them for future generations. With the PKA event, it will boost our campaign of the city on how we will protect our environment,” he added.

Borongan city information officer Rupert Ambil thanked the PKA for partnering with the city and the kiteboarding community, promoting the city as a premier water sport and adventure destination.

“We are learning a great deal from them when it comes to hosting events of the same magnitude. With the first leg of the PKA Tour happening at Baybay Beach, Borongan now proudly hosts two national sporting events on top of one national summit on surfing, further solidifying our place on the map as a premier destination for sports and tourism,” Ambil added.

Kiteboarding is the sport of riding on a small surfboard propelled across the water by a large kite to which the rider is harnessed. (PNA)