Marama Tokong was hoping to make a deeper run at Cloud 9, but the Filipino veteran is taking his early exit from the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour Philippines Pro in stride.
The four-time Siargao International Surfing Cup champion admitted that he had opportunities to advance but failed to capitalize on them, particularly when the wind picked up and the waves became more difficult to navigate.
Tokong was pleased with his performance in his earlier heat, where he felt relaxed and comfortable picking the waves he wanted. However, conditions changed in his succeeding heat, making it difficult for him to execute the maneuvers he had planned.
“I was really happy with my performance in that heat. I felt relaxed and just focused on choosing the right waves. But the conditions yesterday and today were different. The wind picked up, and I tried to stay busy, catch more waves and go for aerials, but unfortunately, I couldn’t land them,” Tokong said.
Tokong particularly rued his opening wave, believing he could have put himself in a better position to advance had he successfully landed his aerial and made it out of the barrel.
“If I had landed that aerial and made it out of the barrel on my first wave, I think it could have helped me move to the next round,” he said.
Despite the disappointment, Tokong was grateful for the opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best surfers. He added that simply sharing the lineup with them, watching their performances and learning from their experience was already invaluable.
“Everyone here is a champion. They’re among the best athletes in the world. Just being able to surf against them, watch them compete and learn from them is already amazing. I’ve learned so much from this experience,” he said.
The overwhelming support from the crowd also made Tokong’s campaign special. The veteran admitted that he was surprised to see so many people at Cloud 9 cheering him on, including his family, friends, and local supporters who stayed despite the scorching heat.
(C) WSL
“I feel like I didn’t really lose anything because of all the support from the community, my friends, and my family. It’s crazy to see so many people at Cloud 9 cheering for me. Even though it’s so hot, they’re still there. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I’m really thankful to everyone,” Tokong said.
Beyond reflecting on his own campaign, Tokong also offered words of encouragement to fellow Filipino surfer Mara Lopez, who competed in the event at just 15 years old.
The veteran believes the young La Union surfer has plenty of room to develop, although he stressed the importance of getting accustomed to Cloud 9’s powerful waves, which are considerably different from those in her hometown.
“I’m really proud of Mara. She’s only 15, and she still has a lot of time to learn. She just needs to get used to surfing here at Cloud 9 because it’s completely different from La Union. The waves here are powerful, and it’s not easy,” he said.
Tokong also emphasized the importance of wave selection, explaining that surfing requires competitors to read the conditions and make the most of their opportunities rather than focusing solely on their opponents.
“In surfing, you’re not only competing against the other athletes. You’re also competing against the waves. You have to choose the right ones. Sometimes, getting the right wave makes the difference in moving to the next round,” he explained.
He also kept tabs on fellow Filipino Jayuard Alciso, recalling the impressive wave the young surfer caught during his heat, although he acknowledged the difficulties Alciso encountered toward the end.
With his campaign in Siargao over, Tokong will now turn his attention to upcoming national competitions while continuing to work on improving his international ranking and producing better results in his succeeding outings.
Rather than dwell on the missed opportunities at Cloud 9, the Filipino veteran is choosing to take the lessons from his early exit and use them to prepare for his next competition.
“It’s not a loss; it’s a lesson. We’ll learn from it and move forward. We just have to make sure we don’t make the same mistakes again,” Tokong said.
