THE RIDER Omega Pro Tri Team. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Cebu’s vaunted Rider Omega Pro Tri Team is gunning to clinch the coveted overall title in today’s final leg of the Tri-United III that will be held in Subic Bay, Zambales.
The 18-man team headed by team captain Tonyson Lee, who is the inaugural champion of the Clash of Captains of the recent Cobra Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships, said their main mission for the final leg is to bag the overall title.
“If we will win the team challenge, we will be the overall champion of the entire series,” Lee explained to Cebu Daily News. “We are already assured of the second overall place but we are gunning for the overall title.”
Lee said the team is currently tied with Team Herbalife with 40 points while Sante Barley Tri Team is behind them with 25 points.
The team is composed of elite triathletes Paul Jumamil, Banjo Norte, Kristiane Lim, Maria Hodges and Cianyl Gonzales. Their equally competitive age groupers are Welmar Saavedra, Jeff Cola, Edu Yu, Johnny Ferniz, Franz Baguio, Chris Capistrano, Frederick Castañeda, Paul Jake Castillo, Enzo Amor, Alton Amor,Lorna Amor, Feelin Torres and Stephanie Tan.
The team started its campaign in the three-leg Tri United III with a bang, taking the top spot in the first edition held last February in Subic Bay but they faltered a bit and slid to second in the second leg last July behind Herbalife at the same venue.
The final leg will feature a 1.9-kilometer swim, 90k bike and 21k run course while the tri King distance has a 1k swim, 60k bike and 10k run course.