The Aug. 3 Cobra Ironman 70.3 was a major success but even the hosts would have to agree with the organizers that the sporting spectacle could have been a lot better.
The international triathlon ran into a speed bump in S. Osmeña Road where the concreting project that started early this year was supposed to be completed in time by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for portions to be ready for the Ironman.
The potholes in the road had long been unbearable for motorists. When rerouting had to start, it was the target of complaints of commercial establishments and a mall that was caught off guard by the timing of road closures during what was supposed to a major sales weekend.
By April, another delay cropped up when over 70 fire trees in the center island disappeared.
Under cover of darkness, a backhoe and trucks yanked out the trees, perhaps a bid to speed things up in a woefully illegal manner. The destruction of trees raised cries of protest from Cebu City Councilor Nida Cabrera and environment advocates, including Cebu Daily News.
Through all these bumps, Ironman 70.3 organizers and the Province of Cebu patiently went through meetings with the DPWH, asking for progress reports.
They were repeatedly assured that the road would be ready for the bicycle race course by mid-July.
When this didn’t happen, organizers were forced to adjust the bike route, reducing exposure on the e S. Osmena Road.
Not much was required of DPWH other than to require the private contractor to fill the potholes along the bike route.
Time was lost waffling on this. DPWH representatives said it was the job of the contractor as part of their contract. WT Construction, in turn, chose the lesser cost option of filling the holes with earth.
They found it expensive to fill the potholes with asphalt since the would have to lay concrete on it later anyway.
And so the cyclists had to fend for themselves om a bumpy, uneven road section that was hastily given a layer of asphalt, a task completed on the day before the actual race.
While it was reassuring to hear veteran athletes taking the bumps in stride as part of the rigors of half-Ironman, organizers aren’t mincing words about it.
They said the bike race course was the only letdown in the Ironman 70.3, a repeated problem they’ve encountered in the three years Cebu has hosted the triathlon.
Fred Uytengsu, president of the event’s organizing firm Sunrise Events Inc., said they hope the road conditions will improve by the time the next Ironman 70.3 comes around. Cebu’s chance to host a fourth year of the Ironman 70.3 depends on it.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
