Triathletes use the Old Mactan-Cebu Bridge for the first time for the Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships. In previous Ironman races, the newer and wider Marcelo Fernan Bridge was utilized./cdn photo/Tonee Despojo
Ironman organizers receive positive feedback about new bike course
For Sunrise Events Inc. (SEI) CEO Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, the new bike route used in Sunday’s Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships passed with flying colors.
The man behind the Ironman race in the Philippines said he got a lot of positive feedback from the participants about the 90-kilometer course that was conceptualized roughly a month before race day.
“You know sometimes you get lucky and you find a new course,” Uytengsu said in an interview after the race.
SEI general manager Princess Galura said some participants even liked this route more than the old one that used the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR).
“A lot were saying that the course was fast. They liked it a lot even though it was technical. They prefer this course than the previous one. At least now we have found an alternative course,” she said.
Despite the narrower bike route this time, only 48 participants among the 2,571 triathletes needed medical attention. The worst accident that happened yesterday involved three participants who needed serious medical attention and were all brought to the hospital. They were all out of danger at press time.
Uytengsu hinted they might use this route again next year. But he also said there are still things that need to be improved.
“There are many good things about the course. But we need to do some changes to a lot of things. We have to do our homework and find out what to do with the course to make it even better. But the feedback I got was very positive.”
Organizers of the race had to scramble to find a new route after Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña didn’t allow the use of the CSCR due to traffic congestion concerns stemming from the ongoing underpass construction along N. Bacalso Avenue in Barangay Mambaling.
Meanwhile, Uytengsu said that because of the strong support of the Province of Cebu and the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, the Ironman race will be returning again next year. /WITH CORRESPONDENTS RABBONI BORBON, RAY CHARLIE DIAZ, AND JAMES SAVELLON