A small town in Surigao del Norte just did something few places in the world ever get to do — it named a mountain after its own hometown hero, and she was there to skate down it. Rydelle Grace Abarico, the 24-year-old Filipina who went from picking up a skateboard for the first time to becoming the world’s No. 4-ranked female downhill skater, watched her legacy carved permanently into Alegria’s landscape as Rydelle’s Hill officially opened during the Governor’s Cup KSA National Downhill Skateboarding Competition, held June 26-28.

“I am deeply honored that this course now bears my name,” Abarico said of the newly inaugurated track in Barangay Ombong. “It is more than a track, it is a testament to the belief that athletes from small towns can rise to the world stage.”

A Meteoric Rise Built on Grit, Injuries and Gold Medals

Abarico’s story reads like something out of a sports movie script. Barely a year after picking up a skateboard, she clinched a bronze medal at the 2019 SEA Games — a debut so fast it stunned the local skating scene. From there, her trajectory only climbed, culminating in a historic No. 4 world ranking at the 2024 World Championships in Tortoreto, Italy.

But the path wasn’t without pain. Abarico has battled a fractured fibula and a dislocated shoulder over the course of her career, injuries that would have sidelined many athletes for good. Instead, she returned stronger each time, capturing gold medals in Thailand and Malaysia and staging a defining comeback in Chiang Rai in December 2025 that reaffirmed her place among the sport’s global elite.

Even now, Abarico isn’t racing at full health. Still recovering from a knee injury sustained just weeks before the Governor’s Cup, she’s already locked in on her next challenge: the World Skate Games in Paraguay this October.

“Representing the Philippines on the world stage is both a privilege and a responsibility,” Abarico said. “This hill, this community, and this province remind me why I push through every injury and setback. I carry Alegria and Surigao del Norte with me wherever I compete.”

Alegria Bets Big on Becoming the Philippines’ Next Sports Tourism Hub

Abarico’s rise hasn’t just built her personal legacy — it’s fueling an entire province’s ambitions. Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon S. Barbers, alongside Alegria Mayor Dominador Esma Jr. and Vice Mayor Rene G. Esma, spearheaded the transformation of Rydelle’s Hill into a premier competition venue, complete with a fresh asphalt overlay and solar lighting that lets skaters train safely even after dark.

“This competition is only the beginning of a much larger journey,” Barbers said. “By next year, we envision Alegria welcoming athletes from across the globe, transforming this race into a truly international showcase of skill, speed, and sportsmanship.”

The numbers already back up that ambition. The Governor’s Cup’s 1.8-kilometer serpentine course — where racers hit average speeds of 80 kilometers per hour — drew 150 skaters from 21 provinces and 33 towns and cities, a turnout that signals downhill skateboarding’s rapidly growing footprint in Philippine sports.

On the competitive side, veteran David Sebastian Chanco of Santa Rosa, Laguna, topped the elite/open men’s division, edging out Warren Arnaiz, Carlo Jay Borja and Dustin Maglasang. Marsi Ferrer of General Santos City claimed the women’s title over Marta Mendez and Alva Ragrag, while Jay Longakit took the men’s Class B crown in a sprint finish against fellow Gen San racer James Gonzaga. Mark Lloyd Garde ruled the masters class, and Jerrey Saligumba won the beginners category in a competition now in its third straight year.

For Governor Barbers, the vision extends well beyond a single race. “We have successfully positioned Siargao as the surfing capital of the Philippines,” he said. “Now, we are determined to establish Surigao del Norte’s mainland as the home of downhill skateboarding.”

Mayor Esma echoed that sentiment, pointing to the province’s broader sports tourism push, including an already-hosted UCI international mountain bike race and a trail run planned for August. “Our mountains and hills are natural assets, and we believe in harnessing them for sustainable sports tourism,” Esma said. “Downhill skateboarding at Rydelle’s Hill is a powerful addition, it elevates Alegria’s profile, energizes our local economy, and inspires our youth to dream beyond borders.”

With Siargao’s waves already a global draw and Alegria’s hills now chasing the same status, Surigao del Norte is positioning itself as a province where natural beauty, infrastructure investment and one extraordinary athlete’s story are converging into something bigger: a homegrown sports tourism movement with a world-class champion at its center.