MANILA, Philippines - Conquering new heights is the usual mountain cyclist’s credo, but for Ferrari Philippines general manager Luis Canto Moniz the difficulty of the biking trail is what makes him come back for more at Filinvest Timberland Heights in San Mateo, Rizal.
This is the first time that Luis participated in the Timberland Heights King of the Mountain (TKOM) and he is challenged to fully seize the steep and snake-like trails that it has to offer.
“It is a challenge like no other. I have been coming back to the Timberland Heights biking trail almost every week to train and it is a really tough climb,†Moniz enthused of the 25 to 40 kilometer uphill climb of the Timberland trail.
Moniz, 46, is on his first foreign assignment here in Manila. He is glad to pursue his passion for mountain biking even here in the Philippines, which his wife has recently taken up as well.
As a marathon biker for five years, Moniz, shared that doing the Timberland King of the Mountain race is a test for defying one’s limits.
“You are up against the weather, the difficult trail and yourself. It makes you push and work harder and that is what I love,†Moniz said in an interview.
Moniz was one of the 400 participants to the Timberland King of the Mountain. Fellow bike enthusiast Philippine Seven Corp. CEO Jose Vic Paterno has been joining the race for the past four years.
An avid cyclist himself, Paterno seems to not get enough of the difficult mountain bike tracks in this part of San Mateo, Rizal.
On Feb. 23, Paterno staged the 7-Eleven’s first ever mountain bike race — the Trail 1000 at Timberland, which offered a grand prize of P100, 000 for the winner.
Mountain bike capital
“Filinvest Timberland Heights has been dubbed the mountain bike capital of the Philippines because Racers are treated to a world-class race course built in accordance with International Mountain Bike Association trail-building standards,†race director Edmund Mangaser said.
The race course, maintained, developed and managed by All Terra, has been built in accordance with the International Mountain Bike Association trail-building standards. It has an estimated 700-meter trail, a 25-kilometer elevation.
Mangaser explained that the race course is truly world-class as it has almost everything a mountain bike cross country racer can ask for: steep technical ascent, multiple switch backs, flowy single track , bermed turns, fast descents, fire roads, rock-gardens and even stream-crossing.
“It is designed to make better mountain bikers out of all its participants. We believe that as we make world-class mountain bike courses, they help, shape up potential world- class mountain bikers,†he added.
“All Terra is the only IMBA trained grouped in the Philippines trained by IMBA renowned trial-builder Tony Boone,†he pointed out.
Filinvest Timberland Heights shares this vision: “Being the only mountain bike destination closest to Metro Manila with world-class caliber bike trails, we would like to give back to the community by opening our gates to people who are into mountain sports,†Francis V. Ceballos, senior vice president and northeast cluster head said.
Timberland Heights is a 677-hectare recreational township created by Filinvest. Timberland Heights is a master-planned community with themed communities that will suit the different lifestyle needs of its residents and brings them closer to nature.
Timberland Heights is under the Filinvest Premiere brand which offers masterfully-crafted luxury residential spaces and leisure developments. Filinvest is one of the country’s most trusted real estate developers with over 50 solid years of experience built and guided by the Gotianun family’s tradition of integrity, quality and service.