Cebu City to host Spartan obstacle race on Aug. 13

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Spartan Race returns to Cebu on August 13, 2022, with three exciting categories for Cebuano obstacle racers at the spacious Citi de Mare properties on the South Road Properties, Cebu City.

The return of the Spartan Race marks its third edition in Cebu as it already organized two races, in 2018 in the mountains of Balamban, west Cebu, and in 2019 in Danao City, north Cebu.

This time, it’s Cebu City’s turn to host the major obstacle racing which is expected to draw 1,500 participants.

The categories are Sprint, Super, and Spartan Kids.

The Sprint category features a relatively easy obstacle course with a five-kilometer distance equipped with 20 obstacles.

The Super category, on the other hand, is meant for experienced and hardcore Spartan racers. It has a 10k distance with over 25 obstacles to conquer.

The Spartan Kids category has an 800-meter distance with around six obstacles.

During a virtual press conference on Thursday, race director Micca de Joya said that Cebuano obstacle racers can expect Spartan Race’s signature obstacles along with several surprises.

“We will have our signature obstacles. We always try to have 20 to 30, depending on the difficulty of the race. We always try to make it challenging,” said de Joya.

“We had the first two races in Balamban and Danao. For the Cebu (City) race, the course might be flat, but we will be picking several areas that are not normally open to the public in Citi de Mare.”

Joining de Joya during the virtual presser was Spartan Race marketing manager Beef Co, Spartan Race general manager Marc Laureze Celis, and Filinvest Citi de Mare’s Tracey San Pablo.

They were joined by Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) Chairman John Pages, Cebu City Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2022 overall chairperson, and Spartan Race ambassador Brigitte Carmel Lim.

For his part, Pages said that Spartan Race’s return to Cebu is perfect considering the entire island has been long-touted as one of the premier sports destinations in the country.

“Cebu will always be a favorite sports venue because of our central location, our easy access to travelers, including the international participants; our many hotels, and the Cebuanos’ love for sports. But what sets Cebu apart is our festive nature, symbolized by the Sinulog. The Spartan Race is the same. It’s a fun and festive sports event. Cebu City is honored to welcome the Spartan Race,” said Pages who will be joining the bike relay in Sunday’s Megaworld Cebu Ironman 70.3 Philippines.

In addition, the Spartan Race and CCSC have partnered to develop the grassroots level in obstacle racing. The sport has been included already in the Southeast Asian Games and recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

Celis will be holding an obstacle course clinic on August 9 at the Cebu City Sports Center for kids. Separate clinics on August 6 and August 7 are happening at the SM Seaside City Cebu and Il Corso, respectively.

To register, visit Spartan Race Philippines Facebook page for more information.   /rcg

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