The warm Cebuano hospitality will be highlighted anew as Cebu hosts another edition of the Cobra IronMan 70.3 Philippines today.
The prestigious international triathlon competition, which starts and ends at the plush Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City, will feature 2,762 participants from 52 countries trying to conquer the 1.9-kilometer swim, 90k bike and 21k run course.
The race may be grueling for some, especially for first timers, but Sunrise Events Inc. (SEI) CEO Wilfred Steven Uytengsu believes majority of the triathletes will make it with the help of the energy of the Cebuano crowd.
“Cebu is really famous for the hundreds of thousands of spectators who come out [during race day],” Uytengsu said, adding that majority of those who are joining this year are first timers. “This race is second to none in terms of fan support and as an athlete, I can tell you that I draw inspiration from the energy of the crowd.”
Defending men’s champion Tim Reed of Australia, seeking a third straight title, couldn’t agree more with Uytengsu.
“I think the biggest thing is the energy of this place. What I like is the atmosphere because you can feel the enthusiasm in the Philippines that you don’t find anywhere in the world,” said the 32-year-old Reed, who leads the list of 27 pro triathletes in the competition. “We sense it and feel it and that makes racing more enjoyable. The whole experience is something to take it on and think, ‘Wow, it’s so amazing!’ The atmosphere is really the biggest factor.”
This will be the sixth year that Cebu is hosting the race and every year, the crowd never fails to show its support, especially with the presence of celebrities. This year, there are 12 competing. (see separate story on page 7)
One of them is actress and model Bubbles Paraiso. It will be her second year to join the IronMan but it will be the first time she is taking on the full race. Last year, she was part of a relay team doing the bike leg.
She, too, believes the Cebuano crowd is a huge motivating force.
“I enjoyed racing in Cebu because this place is awesome. The energy is so high and everyone is out on the streets cheering for you,” she said.
Meanwhile, fellow Aussies Tim Van Berkel and Sam Betten lead the biggest threats to Reed’s throne, together with 2016 Xterra world champion Mauricio Mendez of Mexico, Olympian Brent McMahon of Canada, and 12-time New Zealand Ironman winner Cameron Brown.
In the women’s division, Dimity Lee Duke emerges as the woman-to-beat, but she will face a tough challenge from fellow Aussies Jacqueline Thisleton, Alise Selsmark, Kirra Seidel, Monica Juhart and Kerry Mulholland, Hungarian Anna Eberhardt, Kiwi Amelia Watkinson, and Filipina bet Kim Kilgroe.
Aside from the $5,000 purse, also at stake in the men’s and women’s divisions are 30 slots for the 2018 IronMan World Championship to be held in Mandela Bay, South Africa.
According to weatherman and triathlete Kim Atienza, today’s race weather is expected to be hot. At 6 a.m., the heat index is at 26 degrees Celcius and will rise up to 40 degrees to 45 degrees Celcius from late morning to high noon. Rain is expected in the afternoon.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
