The 6th Baler Beginner's Cup: The Results
So you already know my efforts to be able to join the The 6th Baler Beginner's Cup. Read the story here.
Now what happened?
My friend Rhea gave me a seat in their tour van to Baler, a good seat at that -- the passenger seat beside the driver. I was late at the meeting place in Eastwood because I had to stay on the set until our director gave his last set up. But I was still reprimanded for leaving the set 1.5 hours earlier than pack up. I am currently the Production Designer of Be Careful with My Heart, one of ABS-CBN's longest-running prime time show to date.
Anyway, after a lot of efforts, I was Baler-bound.
April 12, 2014
An hour before arriving to Baler, I changed my clothes from work-wear to surf wear. Yes, I did it while inside the van, beside the driver. I was using my jacket to cover what I was doing and voila, I was already wearing surf bikini, rash guard and surf shorts under my clothes. Talent. :)
I had to change clothes while in the van because the competition organizer said I had to be at the beach by 7 or 8 AM for eliminations. I was there at past 7 AM. Had to pass by at the Rolling Stores where Rhea and company had breakfast while I had two bananas and a bottle of water.
I went straight to Mahdox Surf School to check my "heat" schedule. I did not go anywhere. I just sat there and watched the competition so I could get nervous. Haha. Target time for my first elimination was 9AM. But 9AM passed and my name was still not called. So I went to the burger joint just beside Mahdox and got me a burger, and an iced tea. Then later, halo halo. I was slowly getting sleepy so I got myself a monobloc chair and propped myself beside the Mahdox entrance.
At 12 noon, the boys of Mahdox were waking me up because I fell asleep on that chair! They were asking me if I wanted to go have lunch first. So we did.
When we came back, the announcer was already calling my name!
Finally, it's real now. I'm competing!
I had a lot of worries -- I wasn't prepared to be called immediately after lunch, I might vomit because my stomach was still full, and I was not able to watch the heat before mine.
But anyway, I went on. I had no choice. Eliminations, Semis, Finals.
Yes, I was able to make it to the finals!
I caught the first wave that my coach Daniel gave me. Actually, I caught all the waves that he gave me. And I was receiving some cheers from the audience at the shore. I was doing a bunch of long rides and I was loving it so much because this was all quite new to me!
To win the competition, they said I should get a lot of long rides. A competitor would be judged according to his/her best two rides in 15 minutes! Tricks would serve you well too.
We were identified through our rash guard color. I was designated to wear blue in the finals.
My coach, and the other coaches, were telling me my opponents were "walling" and were really good so I should do my best. I tried. And on my first finals heat, I heard the announcer calling "Nakatayo na si Blue at nagwa-walling!" I was so happy.
Then my coach said, I should do some tricks, like a switch foot, or a cross-step, but I thought, wasn't that a conflict if I was competing for Novice? Do beginners do tricks? And I was afraid I would not be able to pull it off. He said "nakapondo ka na ng long rides saka walling, sige na, mag-tricks ka na, pampataas ng points." I did not do it.
An opponent, the only male competitor I had at the finals, did a switch foot somewhere in our final heat. And damn he was really good!
Anyway, the competition ended and the results would be announced that night.
I treated the boys with a drinking session before I went back to my room to rest.
At dinner time, I went to Yellow Fin Restaurant on my own and had dinner, went back home and my coach kept on texting me to not forget about the awarding later that night.
I went to Rushie's Point, just behind Mahdox Surf School where the The 6th Baler Beginner's Cup Awarding Ceremonies would be held and it was still too early. No one was there yet so I went back home and took a nap.
I woke up at 12 midnight with the following text messages from my coach:
"Mam, sunduin ka ba namin?"
"Mam, san ka na? Awarding na."
"Mam, tinatawag na pangalan mo."
Uh oh! So I got up and hurried to Rushie's Point. It was drizzling and the awarding was over.
But I got to watch Indio I. But I could not find my coach and the organizers were already drinking so I was too shy to ask if I won.
I went near the stage to see Indio I up-close and saw a friend from a long time ago -- Rodel. With the most unexpected person -- Digo Ricio, former production designer of Be Careful with My Heart, who, I've always heard by name but never met personally. Digo said "Ikaw ba yung Roma na nananalo kanina?" I thought to myself -- I won??? But just said "ahm, siguro. Nakatulog ako e."
Now pretty boy Digo and I are friends :)
After a beer, I went to my room and slept, without knowing if I really won anything or not.
The next morning, I went to Mahdox to check out the waves and ask if they know if I won or not, but before I was even able to ask, one of the boys said "Hindi to pumunta sa awarding o, first runner up pa naman at best in long ride!" REALLY?!
*insert dance of joy here*
There. I won. And there were only two best in long ride awards, they said. I was so happy. :)
*insert dance of joy here, too*
But I was still quite a maldita for telling the organizers that I should get the CHAMPION plaque for Women's Division since the person who topped me was a guy and he got the Champion plaque for Men's Division. So technically, I was the champion for the Women's Division. Actually, the organizer agreed, technically. But since the plaques were prepared that way, I was protesting. But we did not compete in divisions, so I could not get the Women's Champion plaque. But he said they will try to make sure the gender divisions will be applied next competition. Well, I only tried if I could get that plaque. Hehe.
But all is well, very well, in fact. I did not even expect to do good, more so win. Now the coaches are telling me to join the next surf competitions.
And I might just do. :)
Now what happened?
My friend Rhea gave me a seat in their tour van to Baler, a good seat at that -- the passenger seat beside the driver. I was late at the meeting place in Eastwood because I had to stay on the set until our director gave his last set up. But I was still reprimanded for leaving the set 1.5 hours earlier than pack up. I am currently the Production Designer of Be Careful with My Heart, one of ABS-CBN's longest-running prime time show to date.
Anyway, after a lot of efforts, I was Baler-bound.
April 12, 2014
An hour before arriving to Baler, I changed my clothes from work-wear to surf wear. Yes, I did it while inside the van, beside the driver. I was using my jacket to cover what I was doing and voila, I was already wearing surf bikini, rash guard and surf shorts under my clothes. Talent. :)
I had to change clothes while in the van because the competition organizer said I had to be at the beach by 7 or 8 AM for eliminations. I was there at past 7 AM. Had to pass by at the Rolling Stores where Rhea and company had breakfast while I had two bananas and a bottle of water.
 |
| A sunny day |
 |
| Halo halo with mayonnaise. Kidding. |
At 12 noon, the boys of Mahdox were waking me up because I fell asleep on that chair! They were asking me if I wanted to go have lunch first. So we did.
When we came back, the announcer was already calling my name!
Finally, it's real now. I'm competing!
I had a lot of worries -- I wasn't prepared to be called immediately after lunch, I might vomit because my stomach was still full, and I was not able to watch the heat before mine.
But anyway, I went on. I had no choice. Eliminations, Semis, Finals.
Yes, I was able to make it to the finals!
I caught the first wave that my coach Daniel gave me. Actually, I caught all the waves that he gave me. And I was receiving some cheers from the audience at the shore. I was doing a bunch of long rides and I was loving it so much because this was all quite new to me!
To win the competition, they said I should get a lot of long rides. A competitor would be judged according to his/her best two rides in 15 minutes! Tricks would serve you well too.
We were identified through our rash guard color. I was designated to wear blue in the finals.
My coach, and the other coaches, were telling me my opponents were "walling" and were really good so I should do my best. I tried. And on my first finals heat, I heard the announcer calling "Nakatayo na si Blue at nagwa-walling!" I was so happy.
Then my coach said, I should do some tricks, like a switch foot, or a cross-step, but I thought, wasn't that a conflict if I was competing for Novice? Do beginners do tricks? And I was afraid I would not be able to pull it off. He said "nakapondo ka na ng long rides saka walling, sige na, mag-tricks ka na, pampataas ng points." I did not do it.
An opponent, the only male competitor I had at the finals, did a switch foot somewhere in our final heat. And damn he was really good!
 |
| They said the finalists should take a group picture. So we did. Those topless boys are the Mahdox Coaches. The guy in the right was the one who "switched foot"! |
Anyway, the competition ended and the results would be announced that night.
I treated the boys with a drinking session before I went back to my room to rest.
 |
| With the Mahdox boys and Jao, a regular surfer at Mahdox. We're happy but nervous, awaiting for the competition results. |
At dinner time, I went to Yellow Fin Restaurant on my own and had dinner, went back home and my coach kept on texting me to not forget about the awarding later that night.
 |
| Grilled food is Yellow Fin's best sellers! And they are jam packed at lunch and dinner time! I got this without having to go to the line of customers. Charm :) |
I went to Rushie's Point, just behind Mahdox Surf School where the The 6th Baler Beginner's Cup Awarding Ceremonies would be held and it was still too early. No one was there yet so I went back home and took a nap.
I woke up at 12 midnight with the following text messages from my coach:
"Mam, sunduin ka ba namin?"
"Mam, san ka na? Awarding na."
"Mam, tinatawag na pangalan mo."
Uh oh! So I got up and hurried to Rushie's Point. It was drizzling and the awarding was over.
 |
| Party continues even if it's drizzling |
But I got to watch Indio I. But I could not find my coach and the organizers were already drinking so I was too shy to ask if I won.
 |
| Indio I for The 6th Baler Beginner's Cup |
I went near the stage to see Indio I up-close and saw a friend from a long time ago -- Rodel. With the most unexpected person -- Digo Ricio, former production designer of Be Careful with My Heart, who, I've always heard by name but never met personally. Digo said "Ikaw ba yung Roma na nananalo kanina?" I thought to myself -- I won??? But just said "ahm, siguro. Nakatulog ako e."
 |
| Digo, my friend Rodel and I |
Now pretty boy Digo and I are friends :)
After a beer, I went to my room and slept, without knowing if I really won anything or not.
The next morning, I went to Mahdox to check out the waves and ask if they know if I won or not, but before I was even able to ask, one of the boys said "Hindi to pumunta sa awarding o, first runner up pa naman at best in long ride!" REALLY?!
*insert dance of joy here*
 |
| My prizes: a plaque, a loot bag that comes with it and another bag for the "Best in Long Ride" award. (Shoes, pull over shirt, one-piece swim suit, stickers and a 30% Roxy discount card) |
There. I won. And there were only two best in long ride awards, they said. I was so happy. :)
*insert dance of joy here, too*
But I was still quite a maldita for telling the organizers that I should get the CHAMPION plaque for Women's Division since the person who topped me was a guy and he got the Champion plaque for Men's Division. So technically, I was the champion for the Women's Division. Actually, the organizer agreed, technically. But since the plaques were prepared that way, I was protesting. But we did not compete in divisions, so I could not get the Women's Champion plaque. But he said they will try to make sure the gender divisions will be applied next competition. Well, I only tried if I could get that plaque. Hehe.
But all is well, very well, in fact. I did not even expect to do good, more so win. Now the coaches are telling me to join the next surf competitions.
And I might just do. :)
I would love to hear from you!