Valentin wins Sta. Fe's Oceanman competition

STA.FE, Bantayan Island —It took Cebuano Rico Valentin three tries before finally becoming the “Oceanman” of the Island Sportscapade at Mac’s Hideaway Resort here.

The Oceanman competition, which is a swim-run-swim event, was the third sporting event lined up here and was done during the third day of action.

It was Valentin’s first time to win the event, in which he placed third three years ago.

“Nakuha na jud tawn nako ni. Ikatulo nako ni ron. Pag-usa, ika-third ko, nya last year, second. Karon first na jud tawn,” Valentin told The FREEMAN, admitting that it was tough to win.

 Valentin finished the battle in 33 minutes and 56 seconds while Ralph Arche could only get the second spot in his 25:10 and Japanese Hiroshi Takei at third spot with 3:35.11 clocking.

In the distaff side, Bacolod’s Bangs Agustin won the title after crossing the finish line first with 43:46 over Cebu’s Janice Bautista who ended in 49:50, as Mia More-Lim settled third with her 56:37.

TRIATHLON

Hiroshi Takei missed the Oceanman title, but also had something to brag about as he won the swim-bike-run event.

It was actually Ralph Arche who was leading the charge in the early goings of the race with Takei and Valentin trailing him.

Everyone around already started to applause after seeing Arche approaching the finish line, only to tell onlookers he did not win the race and that he stopped during the last lap of the running competition.

Arche said he already felt exhausted and continuing the race would jeopardize his bid in the remaining events. “Nalaspag na ko. Unya, tan-aw nako di nako kaapas nila, di nako ka place niundang na lang ko.”

Takei, on the other hand, survived a tough match against Valentin to win the triathlon in two hours, 53 minutes and 22 seconds while Valentin placed second with 2:53.22 and Franklin Echeveria at third place with 2:55.49.

“This is my second time to win the triathlon here. The first time was in 2006.I missed last year’s race, but now I’m back,” Hiroshi Takei said.

 In the women’s open, from a standard battle, event organizer coach Benjoe Gimenez decided to cut down the distance, making it a sprint competition for the girls to avoid delay of the remaining events.

Bangs Agustin got a double victory. Aside from ruling the duathlon, she also won the women’s triathlon over Janice Bautista while Alysa Lagahit of Dumaguete came out third.

DUATHLON

Ralph Arche’s aim of winning the next race failed to materialize as another athlete who also had a rough time during the first day, Elmo Clarabal, won the duathlon, the second event of this Funsports and Sugbu Triathlon-spearheaded battle.

Clarabal, who had to stop in the middle of the triathlon competition after suffering a flat tire, bounced back in the run-bike-run event, winning the title in 59 minutes and 20 seconds clocking.

Franklin Echeveria placed second in his 1:04.25 and Hiroshi Takei was third with 1:10.20.

Seemingly tired from the triathlon competition, only one female participant joined the event that got Alysa Lagahit no pressure to win the women’s duathlon. She timed 1:20.39 in this event sponsored by Pepsi, Gatorade, Rudy Project, Blood Red and Nature’s Spring.