Organizers and some participants of the upcoming Regent Aguila Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships were yesterday’s guests in the weekly Cebu Daily News Sportstalks Facebook Live show. In the photo are (from left) Rider Omega Tri Team’s Katherine Dimataga Jumapao, Banjo Norte, Tonyson Lee, and Paul Jake Castillo; Cebu Province administrator Atty. Mark Tolentino, Sunrise Events Inc. General Manager Princess Galura, Regent’s Jennifer See, CDN Sports Correspondent Mars Alison, Cebu Capitol Protocol and Events Officer Mary Grace Paulino and CDN Sports Editor Brian Ochoa.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA
FOR SIX years now, Cebu is placed on the world sports tourism map because of the Ironman 70.3 Cebu.
The Ironman races are one of the most prestigious and popular triathlon races in the world.
This year will be the seventh time that Cebu will host the half distance Ironman and the second time that the race is made a regional championship dubbed as the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship.
The race, organized by Sunrise Events Inc. (SEI), will be held on August 5 still starting from the posh Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa.
“Who would have thought that there will be an Ironman in Cebu,” said Cebu Province administrator Atty. Mark Tolentino.
The Cebu Province has been partnering with Sunrise in holding the Ironman races here in Cebu.
Apart from benefiting sports tourism, the Ironman has also been economically viable for Cebu.
Before the Ironman races, August was a lean season for the resorts in Lapu-Lapu but now “almost all of the resorts there (Lapu-Lapu) are fully booked,” according to Paul Jake Castillo of the Rider Omega Tri Team.
‘Kislap ng Watawat’
Medals for the Ironman 70.3 Cebu has always been designed by world renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue. And, this year is no different.
The specially designed medals of the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific will complete the Ironman Medal Series conceptualized by Princess Galura for SEI’s 10th year anniversary.
After the Duyan ng Magiting (Cradle of the Brave) medal of the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao and the Alab ng Puso (Flaming Heart) medal of the Century Tuna Ironman Philippines, the Perlas ng Silanganan (Crown Jewel of Asia) medal of the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Cebu will finally cap the Kislap ng Watawat (The Splendor of the Flag)- the IRONMAN medal series.
“I wanted something that could challenge me. I didn’t want a traditional anniversary ‘coz I might not be here on the 20th, we might not be all here by then. So, one day, I just woke up with the concept,” said Galura of how the medal series took shape.