Maintaining Cebu’s claim as the ‘Crown Jewel of Asia’ in triathlon is no mean job.
That’s why Sunrise Events general manager Princess Galura is holding the Regent Aguila IronMan 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships in Cebu next year, in a bid to solidify the province’s hold of the title in light of the country’s hosting of two other major triathlons in 2018.
Galura will head the simultaneous on-site registration tomorrow in Davao City for the Alveo IronMan 70.3 Davao and at the Social Hall of the Cebu Provincial Capitol for the Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships.
Cebu first hosted the AsPac race in 2016 which drew 3,000 participants from more than 50 countries including 30 of the world’s best professional triathletes who vied for the $75,000 cash prize.
Aside from the Cebu and Davao 70.3 races, the country will also host its first full triathlon race in June 2018 dubbed the Century Tuna IronMan Philippines in Subic Bay, Zambales. The race will have 3.8-kilometer swim, 180k bike and a 42k run. It is held to highlight the 10th anniversary of Sunrise Events.
Cebu has hosted the IronMan 70.3 event for the past six years including last August 6 which drew 2,600 triathletes from 56 countries.
Galura announced Cebu’s successful bid to host the AsPac Championship on the eve of the Cobra Ironman 70.3 race in Cebu last August. She made the announcement with Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Wanda Corazon Teo and Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino.
“We have the race in Davao and the full distance IronMan in Subic so I am worried about the Cebu race. I am also worried that it might not beat the 2016 record of 22 minutes of selling out our slots. So I decided to bid for the Asia Pacific Championship to add more hype to the Cebu race,” said Galura.
According to her, it is a big financial gamble bringing the Asia Pacific Championships again to Cebu but she remains upbeat about the August 5, 2018 event.
Regent Foods Corporation will be the presenter and main sponsor of the event after it forged a five-year partnership with Sunrise Events starting with Asia Pacific Championships.
Both the on-site registration in Cebu and Davao has 150 individual and 25 relay slots on a first come, first serve basis. Triathletes who will register onsite will get free breakfast and a shirt.
Registration will start at 8 a.m.