CAGAYAN de Oro City— After years of finishing just short of the top spot, Cagayan de Oro native Cheska Adrienne Edulan finally claimed the championship she had been chasing. 

Edulan won the women’s division of the Kadayawan Skateboarding Competition in Davao City, earning her first major championship title. 

“Honestly, my first thought was, ‘I actually did it,’” Edulan said. “I wasn't expecting to win.” 

The victory was especially meaningful after years of placing second or lower in competitions. 

For Edulan, the title represents more than a medal. It reflects months of training, travel and pushing through physical and mental fatigue. 

“People see the win, but what they don’t see are the sacrifices it took to get here,” she said. 

She said she often had to balance training with work and travel to different skate spots to practice. 

“There was burnout and bruises, but I kept going despite it all,” she said. 

Inspiring more girls to skate 

Competing during one of Mindanao’s biggest festivals, Edulan said she hopes her victory encourages more girls to take up skateboarding. 

“I hope girls, especially the younger generation, see that women can do anything and that skateboarding isn’t only for boys,” she said. 

She urged aspiring female skaters to overcome fear and simply give the sport a try. 

During the finals, Edulan kept herself focused by treating the competition like an ordinary training session. 

“I had my tricks in mind and just enjoyed skating,” she said.

 Edulan backs CDO skatepark 

Her championship also gave Edulan a platform to push for better facilities for skateboarders and BMX riders in Cagayan de Oro. 

Now based in Cavite, Edulan said one of the biggest challenges facing CDO’s action-sports community is the lack of a proper training facility. 

“Having a dedicated public skatepark in CDO would make a huge difference for the skateboarding and BMX community,” she said. 

She said a safe and accessible skatepark would allow athletes to train without having to use streets and other unsuitable areas. 

The city government has recently approved funding for a public skatepark, a move Edulan welcomed as a major opportunity for local athletes. 

She hopes the project will be properly built and that its budget will be used wisely.

 “This project can give local skaters and BMX riders the platform they need to grow and represent CDO in future competitions,” Edulan said.