Cebuano Joseph Miller will be the only Filipino pro who will be defending the homefront against 10 other male pros in today’s XTERRA Danao Asia Pacific Championship.
The race kicks off early today at the Coco Palms Beach Resort and will end at the Cebu Technological University.
“I have trained much for this race, unfortunately I got injured. But I will still do my best to welcome my opponents by racing tomorrow (today),” said Miller, who is being backed by Motor Ace, during the Meet the Pros press conference yesterday afternoon at the Coco Palms Beach Resort.
As an Asia Pacific Championship, Miller is not only up against defending champion Bradley Weiss of South Africa, who is also the reigning XTERRA World champion, but also an equally strong field of nine other pros in New Zealand’s Sam Osborne, Kieran McPherson and Alex Roberts; Australia’s Ben Allen and Brodie Gardner; Japan’s Takahiro Ogasawara; France’s Fabien Combaluzier and Jacky Boisset and Will Ross of the US.
The distaff side will also see an exciting race with defending champion Carina Wasle of Austria, who can’t wait to retain her title today.
She will be up against seven other strong contenders in United Kingdom’s Jacqui Allen, Australia’s Leela Hancox, Kate Schultz and Penny Slater, France’s Myriam Guillot-Boisset, Brazil’s Laura Mira Dias and former New Zealand beauty queen Kristy Jennings.
Interestingly, except for Wasle and Slater, the rest of the six other female pros are first timers in the XTERRA Danao.
Also gracing yesterday’s Meet the Pros were Danny Roble, the executive assistant to Danao City Mayor Ramonito Durano III and Cebu Province administrator Atty. Mark Tolentino.