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GENERAL LUNA, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte (MindaNews/01 August) — A surfer from this town won the championship in the four-day Quiksilver Padma Challenge which concluded last Saturday in Padma, Indonesia.
The event’s media officer Tim Hain said 23-year-old Nelbie Blancada bested 12 topnotch surfers from Australia, Argentina, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan, to bag her first title on Indonesian waters.
“In the final round Blancada dominated the game, finding the righthander perfect to rip apart and score big points,” Hain said on Sunday.
“Finally I did good at Padma! I’m shocked that I won. The waves were really good in the final and when I would hear my scores getting better it would motivate me to surf even better. I was nervous for sure but so happy now,” she added.
Blancada got the prize of 5 million Indonesian rupees and a trip ticket to Gold Coast in Australia to join the Quiksilver Pro next year.
She will undergo a training session at Surfing Australia High Performance Training Centre in Casuarina.
Last July 19, Blancada’s compatriot Philmar Alipayo won the championship crown in the West Sumbawa Pro 2016 in Indonesia.
General Luna Mayor Jaime P. Rusillon congratulated the winners.
“I feel proud that some of our youth in the town excel in this sports not just in the country but also outside. Their participation in other countries would also give good publicity to our place,” Rusillon said. (Roel N. Catoto/MindaNews)