THE Philippine Kiteboarding Association Tour is all set for its 4th season later this month, and with the crop of young prospects, organizers are optimistic that the tour will produce the country’s next Olympic medallist.
“This competition will be a perfect staging ground in discovering fresh new talents,” said PKA President Jay Ortiz during the launch of the tour in partnership, with the International Container Terminal Services Inc., at the Mango Tree in BGC.
The exec’s comment comes after the recent announcement that kiteboarding will be included in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and the organizing body is already taking steps for an Olympic gold to come from their sport.
“We have already outlined a two-year program for the 2018 YOG, and we will actually start that in Cuyo Island,” Ortiz said, referring to the first of stop of the tour in Palawan, which will be held Nov. 24 to 26.
The exec also said that they have already sponsored five young athletes, bannered by Boracay-native and Kiteboarding prospect Christian Tio.
The PKA is also aimed at “building the next generation of Kiteboarding superstars by developing grassroots program for kids.”
Asked what are the chances for an Olympic gold medal in the Tokyo 2020, Ortiz bared that it could happen, but the tides would have to be favorable.
“If it’s going to be announced as a twin tip race, then we have a fighting chance because our athletes are very much experienced in that discipline,” he explained.
“But that’s still four years from now, and a lot of things could happen,” he added, noting that they are focused on training the young athletes at the meantime for the YOG.
The PKA is sponsoring the expenses of the young athletes for the duration of the 4-stop tour.
After Cuyo Island, the next stops will be in Bantayan Island, Cebu (Jan. 13 to 15, 2017) and Boracay Island (Feb. 3 to 5), before capping it off in Cagbalete Island, Quezon on March 3 to 5, of which the airfare of the youth will be sponsored by Air Juan.
The 2016-2017 PKA season will also feature three different fields; Race, Freestyle and Hangtime, which are sub-classified to Men’s, Women’s and Masters’ Class with the inclusion of the Novice and Kids category.
According to the organizers, the tour could entice more than 160 participants across 20 countries.
A total of $40,000 in cash prizes will be given away throughout the 4th season of the PKT, sponsored by Cabrinha, Greenyard Boracay, Cobra Energy Drink and Brew Kettle Beer.