SIARGAO, Philippines – John Mark “Marama” Tokong was hoping to advance further 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 he had chances to advance but could not convert them, particularly when the wind picked up and the waves became harder to handle.
Tokong said he was happy with his performance in his earlier heat, when he felt relaxed and comfortable selecting the waves he wanted. However, the conditions changed in his succeeding heat, making it difficult for him to execute the moves 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 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.
Still, Tokong was thankful for the opportunity to compete against some of the world's best surfers. He said being able to watch them compete and learn from their performances was already a big experience for him.
“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 crowd's support also meant a lot to Tokong. He was surprised to see so many people at Cloud 9 cheering for him, including his family, friends and local supporters who stayed despite the scorching heat.
“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.
Tokong also had words of encouragement for 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 time to improve, but said she still needs to get used to the waves at Cloud 9, which are quite 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 stressed the importance of choosing the right waves, explaining that surfers must learn to read the conditions instead of concentrating only 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 followed the performance of fellow Filipino Jayuard Alciso, recalling the strong wave the young surfer caught during his heat and the difficulty he encountered toward the end.
With his campaign in Siargao over, Tokong will now prepare for the national competitions. He hopes to improve his international ranking and come up with better results in his next competitions.
For Tokong, there is no point dwelling on the missed chances in Siargao. He would rather learn from them and make the necessary adjustments before his next outing.
“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. TMT
