Organizers of the 4th Kiteboarding Tour aims to use their tournament as a springboard of grooming future Olympians when it fires off in four different venues starting this month.
Philippine Kiteboarding Association president Jay Ortiz yesterday said they are sponsoring five or six young kiteboarders in the four-leg tour in its bid to send athletes to the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The sport was officially included for the first time in the Youth Games in an announcement four months ago.
“We have already outlined a two-year sports program for our young kiteboarders and this tournament is just the start,” said Ortiz.
“This will be a perfect staging ground to also discover fresh new talents,” he added.
More than 160 participants from 20 countries are expected to compete in stops in Cuyo Island, Palawan (Nov. 24 to 26); Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island (Jane. 13 to 15, 2017); Bulabog Beach, Boracay (Feb. 3 to 5); and Cagbalete Island in Mauban, Quezon (March 3 to 5).
It would be the first time that the tour will be held in Bantayan Island and Cagbalete Island.