CLARK IS STEADILY OPENING UP ONCE MORE FOR SPORTING EVENTS AND TOURNAMENTS, SHOWING THAT THE VIBRANT SPORTS DESTINATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE A SAFE SPACE FOR ATHLETES, WEEKEND WARRIORS, AND TOURISTS IN THE POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. Written by MAITA DE JESUS Photography by SUSAN LARSSON (Wakeboarding) and JOSEPH PASCUAL (Biking)
Just last year, Clark was awarded the Sports Tourism Destination of the Year by the Philippine Sports Tourism Awards for the second time. With Clark proudly and successfully hosting the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2019, as well as over 200 different sports events, that accolade is one that’s well-deserved. The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) don’t rest on their laurels, though, and the enormous efforts to shape Clark into a world-class sports destination didn’t end with the 2019 SEA Games. In 2020, they hit the ground running, with plans to create a bike park and to restore parks and public spaces for residents, weekend warriors, and foreign tourists alike to experience and enjoy. Then came the coronavirus pandemic, which forced much of the work that was happening in Clark to take a pause. All sporting events were either cancelled or postponed, and athletic and leisure establishments had to close their doors for the time being, waiting for mandates from the local and national government about when they could operate and to what extent. Clark, however, is a city that’s resilient and highly adaptable to the changes that come its way. In anticipation of the go signal to welcome customers again, sports establishments in Clark worked on putting safety protocols in place to adhere to the “new normal.” Many of the sporting venues in Clark offer non-contact sports, which might become more popular than ever because of a one-two punch: socially distanced sports will give people who enjoy an active lifestyle the opportunity to stay fit and healthy, while also conforming to a post-pandemic way of living. Additionally, most of these athletic activities are done outdoors, where the fresh air, natural ventilation, and exposure to sunlight reduce the risk of contracting the coronavirus, so you can enjoy yourself while chasing thrills or sweating it out in Clark.
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WAKE BOARDING Give wakeboarding a try if you fancy a thrilling experience that makes you feel like you’re flying up in the air for a moment. (Think surfing, but you’re tugged by a motorboat.) Carlo “C-LO” dela Torre, proprietor of Deca Wake Park Clark, sees a great future for wakeboarding in the post-COVID era. “The best thing about our park is our proximity to a major city like Clark—and it’s not too far away from Manila, too—which is easily accessible for many participants. We are five minutes away from Clark International
