DOT-7 eyes revival of skimboarding under its eco-sports tourism program

A skimboarder during the skimboarding event held in Argao, Cebu during the town’s 114th founding anniversary on Sept. 29, 2019, which also launched the eco-sports tourism program of the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas. |Photo from D0T-7 Visit Central Visayas Facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Skimboarding is now among the sports activities the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas  (DOT-7) plans to develop as part of its development thrust.

Gelena Asis-Dimpas, DOT-7 chief Tourism operations officer, that the skimboarding sports event in Argao municipality was part of their adventure sports development program.

The Argao Cebu Boardriding Festival was held last month as part of the municipality’s 411th founding anniversary.

Asis-Dimpas explained that DOT-7’s banner programs now include adventure and sports tourism.

Boardriding in Argao, Cebu. |Source: DOT-7 Visit Central Visayas Facebook page

Around 100 skimboarding and downhill boardriding participants competed in beginners and advanced categories during the 10-day festivities that culminated on September 29, 2019.

A skimboard rider uses a smaller surfboard without fins to glide across the water’s surface and meet an incoming wave, and then, ride it back to shore, according to an article posted on DOT-7’s Visit Central Visayas Facebook page.

Skimboarders perform a variety of surface maneuvers including “wraps,” “big spins,” “360 shove-its” and “180s.”

Unlike surfing, skimboarding begins on the beach by dropping the board onto the thin wash of previous waves.

Using their momentum to skim out to breaking waves, the riders then catch back into shore.

DOT-7 regional director Shalimar Tamano lauded the efforts of Argao local government in promoting eco-sports tourism.

“We recognize Argao tourism’s high potentials as it offers a complete package of tourism experience, including sun and beach, water sports, diving, eco-farm adventure, culinary, and faith and cultural tourism,” Tamano was quoted in the article.

On the other hand, Asis-Dimpas said they hoped to find more skimboarding sites in Cebu.

In the past, she disclosed that there were several skimboarding sites in Cebu, such as in Liloan.

Asis-Dimpas also explained that when waves needed for skimboarding were not available, the skimboarding group goes to the mountain for downhill skateboarding or longboarding./elb