Participants of the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Philippines Cebu attend the race briefing at a resort hotel in Mactan Island. | Gerard Vincent Francisco
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — A record number of 57 countries will be represented in this year’s Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Philippines Cebu which will roll out Sunday, August 11, 2019, and start and end at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.
Australian triathlete Tim Reed pedals his way in the bike leg of the Cobra Ironman in 2017 where he won the championship. | CDN file photo
“We have 57 countries represented here this weekend. Fifty seven countries in the 11 years that Sunrise has been staging this event, this is the single large number of countries represented, so when they call on your country make your country proud on Sunday,” said Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, the founder of Sunrise Events Inc. (SEI) which is now part of the Ironman Group of Companies.
According to SEI General Manager Princess Galura, Cebu has always attracted participants from the most number of countries that numbers to about 40 but this is the first time that it has reached 57.
The number of participants coming from these 57 countries is 2,300. There is 1,404 entries from the Philippines including two Cebu-based Asian Elite participants—two-time defending champion Banjo Norte and Jorry Ycong. Both are members of the Cebu City Rider Omega Triathlon Team.
Japan has the second most number of entries at 129 then 80 from Singapore, 66 from Malaysia, 62 from Thailand, 53 from the United States of America, 46 from Australia, and 43 from the United Kingdom, among others.
Australia is also the country where most of the pros come. This year, they have 10 with two competing in the female open.
The pros from Australia is led by Tim Reed, who have won in Cebu three times already. The rest of the Australians are Tim Van Berkel, Sam Betten, Mitch Robins, Justin Ghosh, Lindsey Lawry, Luke McKenzie and Blake Kappler. The women are Dimity Lee Duke and Amanda Wilson.
Betten, however, has pulled out of the race just this week because he got sick.
Other Australians, who have won in Cebu, were Pete Jacobs and Courtney Atkinson. /dbs