Professional surfer Noah Arkfeld from Siargao Island is preparing for the international Qualifying Series 3000 (QS3000) to be held first week of March in Japan.

“I’ve been stretching in the gym and have been into surfing for days as part of my preparation for this tournament,” Arkfeld said on Facebook.

The event, to be participated in by surfers worldwide, is sanctioned by the World Surf League (WSL). The tourney is slated on March 2-5 at Okuragahama Beach in the port city of Hyuga, Japan.

Arkfeld flew to Manila on Sunday morning and boarded a plane to Japan on the same day.

The Office of Surigao del Norte 1st District Representative Francisco Jose Matugas II confirmed that Arkfeld arrived in Japan on Monday.

“Thank you, Noah, for bringing prestige to Siargao Island. Make this as inspiration as you battle the waves in Japan,” Matugas said in a statement Monday.

According to the WSL website, the QS3000 has been postponed since 2019 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

“It will be the first WSL official tournament in four years to be held at Okuragahama Beach, Huga City, Miyazaki Prefecture,” the WSL said. (PNA)