Another tourist drawer for Alaminos

This summer all roads lead to Alaminos City, the eco-tourism capital of the province, with the staging of the 1st Gali-Langoy Eco-Adventure Race.Gali-Langoy is the major event in this year’s celebration of the Pistay Dayat (Sea Festival) from March 29 to May 1, 2011, said Mayor Hernani Braganza, the brains behind this new sports-tourism thrust of the city.

“This is our part of our continuing effort and initiative of promoting the Hundred Islands as a top eco-adventure and family oriented tourism destination not only in the country but in South East Asia,” stressed the mayor of the four-day event from April 25, 29-30 and May 1.

“It is basically an aqua-triathlon event, a one of a kind eco-tourism sports activity not only here in the province but in the entire Region 1. This is also our way of showcasing Alaminos as a global model for marine conservation and protection,” he said.

Gali-Langoy comes from two words, Gali-La and Langoy. “Gali-La means “halina” or “come, let’s go,” while “langoy” means to swim or compete in swimming.Gali-La has been a household word since 2005 when the city government launched the Gali-La! Viva San Jose Festival of the Hundred Islands.

It depicts the city’s warm hospitality to its guests, a strategy aimed at promoting Alaminos, home to the world famous Hundred Island National Park, as a major eco-tourism destination in the country.Gali-Langoy involves three grueling races namely, the island swim and parao (non-motorized paddle boat) races, and island to mainland kayak race.

It is open to all water sports enthusiasts in the province and n the country, aged 18 and above, are physically fit and mentally sound.Each team consists of seven playing members who may be either all male or all female, or mixed.

The event is divided into seven stages. Stages 1 to 3 covering 1.41 kms. is the swim leg covering Lopez, Quezon and Clave Islands.Stage 4, from Children Island to Cagao Island, is a 983.39-meter parao race, while Stages 5 to 7, covering Cagao, Romulo and Governor’s Islands and Lucap wharf, will be the 4.81km-kayak race.

All swimmers, parao and kayak racers must mass start wearing their official team baller. Upon arrival at the next stages, they must pass their team baller to their teammates all the way to the finish line.Big cash prizes are at stake for the over-all winners and race top finishers in each stage. Also, all teams that complete the course will be receiving cash prizes.

City sports consultant Jose Elvis Sison said interested parties still have until April 25 at 5 p.m., to submit their entries to the office of the Hundred Islands Sports and Youth Council at the 2nd floor of the Alaminos city hall.

Braganza said Pangasinenses are known for their athleticism, resilience and sheer determination, citing as a classic example, the local cyclist who have dominated the national cycling events in the past and up to the present.“And this unique water sports (Gali-Langoy) event is custom-made for our ‘ironmen’ provincemates,” he added.

Braganza, it will be recalled, while he was still a congressman of the first district, orchestrated in 1996, the staging of the Hundred Islands Triathlon Open as an added attraction of the annual Hundred Islands Festival.

Eight years later, during his first term as city mayor, the second edition of said triathlon event was held in the city.This month, Alaminians and tourists alike will enjoy anew the summer sports spectacle, which is a follow-up to the recently successful Tour de Hundred Islands II.

Source = pia.gov.ph