Participants who registered on-site for the Regent Aguila Energy Drink IronMan 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships gather for a photo op at the Social Hall of the Cebu Provincial Capitol. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
FOR some, the registration day for an IronMan event is just as exciting as the race itself.
Veteran Cebuano triathlete Voltaire Montebon, one of the first 250 who registered on-site for the Regent Aguila Energy Drink IronMan 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships at the Cebu Provincial Capitol social hall yesterday, could attest to this.
Montebon, who has been joining IronMan 70.3 events in the country for the past six years, still feels jittery every time he registers for the triathlon race because he knows a lot of triathletes—not just from the Philippines—are waiting in line.
“It is still exciting even though I have joined this race for the past six years because in the registration itself, you have to be fast so that you can secure an entry for the race. And the thought of you joining is already exciting even though it’s roughly a year away because now you have to prepare and train,” said Montebon.
Next year’s Asia Pacific Championships, a 1.9-kilometer swim, 90k bike and 21k run event, is slated Aug. 5, 2018 still at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa.
Yesterday, a simultaneous on-site registration organized by Sunrise Events was held for the Asia Pacific Championships in Cebu and the Alveo IronMan 70.3 in Davao.
Sunrise Events general manager Princess Galura headed the Davao on-site registration, which attracted 1,300 triathletes. The Davao race is slated March 25, 2018. The Cebu on-site registration attracted 1,700 triathletes.
Online registration is still ongoing.
Rider Omega Triathlon team manager Tonyson Lee said that with the registration done, the next exciting phase begins, which is the preparation for the grueling race.
“The real exciting thing after the registration is the training and the race itself, considering that Rider Omega Pro Tri team will be vying in two 70.3 races for the first time. So it’s going to be tough but we are very hopeful for a successful campaign for us,” said Lee.
Yesterday, the vaunted triathlon team had 18 entries for both the Davao and Cebu races next year.
Among those who registered on site in Cebu was Cebu City councilor Gerry Guardo, who will be joining the prestigious race for the first time as a biker in the relay division.
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