CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A battle through financial hurdles, a lack of practice facilities, and a lingering knee injury turned into a triumph of grit for local skateboarder Garren Pol Garrido at the 41st Kadayawan Festival Open Skateboarding Competition in Davao City on August 8.
Squeezing into the top six against a stacked regional field, Garrido's raw determination caught the attention of Elite Division Champion Dave Gatchalian.
"Duha man mi gi pilian dayun gihatag niya sako pati ang prizes niya since naka padayun japun ko miskan injured nako daan sakong tuhod"
Embodying the true spirit of the Kadayawan Festival, Gatchalian humbly stepped aside to ensure Garrido was honored with the Tata's Choice "Skater of the Day" award, recognizing his passion and resilience on the park floor.
Nearly missed the competition
The skateboarder said his biggest challenge came before he even reached Davao.
With limited funds for the trip, he turned to Facebook to seek help but received little response. He eventually secured support from private individuals who helped make the trip possible.
He arrived in Davao just a day before the competition, leaving little time to familiarize himself with the skatepark.
That lack of preparation took a toll during his runs, resulting in a minor knee injury.
Fifth place, but a bigger win
The rider had hoped to finish on the podium but ended the competition in fifth place, advancing to the second round and finishing among the event's top performers.
Despite missing his podium target, he said he was proud of the result and grateful for the “Skater of the Day” recognition.
The award, he explained, was not based solely on performance. It also recognized a skater’s style, energy, attitude and friendliness toward fellow competitors.
Another Cagayan de Oro native, Cheska Edulan, also made her mark at the competition by winning the Women’s Division championship.
The bigger problem: where to train
For the CDO skater, the competition also exposed a challenge faced by riders outside major skateboarding hubs: access to proper training facilities.
He said Davao-based skaters had an advantage because they could regularly train at a dedicated skatepark, while riders from Cagayan de Oro often have to build or improvise their own practice obstacles.
For him, the experience was a reminder that talent and determination can take athletes far—but better access to facilities and financial support could give local riders a better shot at competing on bigger stages.
He returned to Cagayan de Oro with the medal, but also with a clearer goal: prepare financially earlier, keep improving and remain grateful for the people who helped him get to the competition.
Official Winners
The 41st Kadayawan Open Skateboarding Competition gathered top riding talent from across Mindanao, crowning winners across four main divisions:
Kids Division
- Champion: Remus Declaro (General Santos City)
- 1st Runner-up: Vinz Elairon (Davao City)
- 2nd Runner-up: John Agustin (Davao City)
Womens Division
- Champion: Cheska Edulan (Cagayan de Oro City)
- 1st Runner-up: Jasmin Escabal (Davao City)
- 2nd Runner-up: Xyri Enoc (Kidapawan)
Open Division
- Champion: Carlos Jayme (Davao City)
- 1st Runner-up: Justin Castillo (Kidapawan)
- 2nd Runner-up: Aljur Arios (Tagum City)
Elite Division
- Champion: Dave Gatchalian (Davao City)
- 1st Runner-up: Reynoben Ynot (Polomolok)
- 2nd Runner-up: Atan Mancera (Kidapawan)
