Mayor’s Cup Skimboarding Surfing Dahican Mati
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Image courtesy Dylan Uy
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The Mayor’s Cup in Mati, Davao Oriental, is the premier skimboarding and surfing event in the South of the Philippines. Held every year at Dahican Beach the Mayor’s Cup offers skimboarders and surfers the chance to compete for prizes and trophies at one of the most beautiful Philippine water sports venues in Asia.
The hosts of the event are the Amihan Boys of Mati, lead by their “father” and mentor Jun Plaza. The Amihan Boys are all orphans of the Davao Region who have been brought to Mati to be given a purposeful life under Jun’s tutelage and guidance. They are funded by the Mayor’s office and local business interests, and by the fees paid by skimboarders and surfers who rent the equipment and knowledge offered by the Amihan Boys.
Mati sits at the head of the majestic curve of Dahican Bay. Famous as a Philippine Marine Conservation Area, Dahican Beach is the nesting site of four types of sea turtle. Off the beach, dolphins play and dugong browse the sea-grasses, safe in the knowledge that the Amihan Boys are watching over them. When not at school, and not teaching skimboarding and surfing to visitors, the Amihan Boys patrol and protect the natural environment of the beach and the bay.
The unique curve of Dahican beach produces some of the best waves for extreme skimboarding in Asia. The surf breaks at the northern and southern promontories of the bay feature World class surf breaks. The three-part ABC break, at the southern promontory, is Dahican’s signature break and rated as one of the best in the Philippines. It can be surfed by enthusiasts of all levels of experience – A,B and C.
If you want to skimboard or surf, or if you want to capture some simply spectacular water sports images then come to the Mayor’s Cup at Dahican Beach in Mati on 1st through 5th April, 2011.
To get to Mati you fly to Davao International Airport and then take an air-condition bus to the city. Dahican Beach is about a 15-minute ride by tricycle or multi-cab from the bus station.
Links:
Check out the Amihan Boys Of Mati website
How to fly to Davao International Airport