Roots of a Champion: The La Union Legacy

Urbiztondo Beach has a rich history of hosting surfing events, evolving from small community competitions into a venue capable of staging world-class international championships. Landrigan himself grew up surfing these waters, later becoming one of the pioneers of competitive surfing in the Philippines and a key supporter in Esquivel’s development.

“Because we have such a variety of conditions here, most of the local surfers become strong in both shortboard and longboard disciplines,” said Landrigan. “Jay R showed his talent very early. He won his first international contest in Malaysia at the Occy Grom Comp, on his first trip outside the Philippines. A few years ago, he shifted his focus more heavily to longboarding, and now he’s competing around the world on the Championship Tour. It’s an incredible journey, and the whole community is proud of him.”

Reflecting on his own beginnings, Esquivel said, “I started surfing when I was about six or seven. My uncle Poks pushed me into my first wave, and from then on all I wanted to do was surf. I lost in the first round of my first contest, so I trained harder. After that, my goal was clear — I wanted to win.”

Hosting an International Qualifier in his hometown carries special meaning.

“This is a dream come true for the whole community,” Esquivel said. “All the best longboarders in the world are here. For the next generation, being able to watch these surfers in person and learn from them is incredibly important. It gives the kids a vision of what’s possible and how to reach the highest level.”