Cebuana Lorhiz Echavez gears for XTerra World Championship

CEBU, Philippines - After emerging as the country’s top female elite triathlete in the just-concluded Xterra Philippine Triathlon Championships, Lorhiz Echavez is setting her sights on competing the Xterra World Championships in Maui later this year.

Echavez, however, needs funding to achieve such dream of competing against the world’s best.

Before emerging as the top female elite triathlete in the Xterra PTC, Echavez also spearheaded a victorious bid in an all-female relay under Xterra late last year in Nuvali making it a back-to-back victory of sorts for her.

With that feat, Echavez, a Cebuana civil engineer is encouraged to join the world championships.

Unknown to many though, the multi-titled Echavez, is actually scared of

Mountain biking, yet, she seems a natural on it, that fellow triathletes encouraged her to hone her skills further.

“I didn’t really expect to win the Xterra, I just wanted to finish safely, maybe I’m just better at off-road because of my adventure racing background,” said the Blood Red-sponsored athlete.

Echavez’s latest success was through the support of Rudy Project, Metrografix, Leona’s Cakes and Pastries, Tyrone Properties Realty and Development, Noy Jopson and Team Reborn and Sugbu Triathlon.

Echavez dominated the Filipino female elite division over other seasoned

triathletes in three hours,24 minutes and 6.66 seconds, 27:01.79 of which from the swimming event, 1:01.08.29 in biking and 53:08.229, not so far behind from the fifth placer, Caroline Colonna in the women’s professional class actually with 3:02:07.14 clocking.

And even if there is no commitment yet from private companies or from the provincial or local government here to support Echavez, she is already preparing herself for the World Championships.

In fact, Echavez is not taking a much needed break and looks forward to competing in a series of events.

This weekend, Echavez is set to go to Davao for the Davao leg of the 2011 SPEEDO National Age-group Triathlon Series.

“After the NAGT weekend in Davao, the Audax 400-km the following week and the NAGT Cebu on April 3.Actually a series of races before the 70.3 Ironman in Camsur then the Xterra World Championships in October,” she said.

More than just the honors and pride though, Echavez said, she is devoting herself to this three-in-one sport being her passion and lifestyle.

“I would like to encourage everyone, if you’re looking for a different kind of high, give it a “tri”,” ended Echavez. (FREEMAN)