Unheralded team tops Buena Vista adventure

Despite he presence of some of the country’s best and adventure racers at the Buena Vista Nature Park Adventure Race last weekend, the unheralded Trek Adums team of Thadeus Festin, Billy Martinez Jr. and Ailyn Morillo emerged overall Open division champion.

"Konti lang kasali pero nandito halos lahat ng malalakas na adventure racers kaya di naming expected mag-champion, top 4 lang okay na sana kami," said 29 year old Festin, who also teamed up with Martinez in a four-day adventure race in Puerto Galera where they finished third and fourth in last year’s AXN Challenge.

The key to the team’s victory was that they found their way first to the 12th control point where practically all the teams got lost, "nauna kami doon at sakakahanap naming don, nakita na rin naming yung ibang control points," explained Martinez after the race sponsored by Rexona, PCSO, Dai-Ichi, San Mig Light, Petron Blaze, and Manila Bulletin among others.

Trek Adums, which clocked 5:44.26 over the grueling but scenic race course that overlooked Taal Lake, received P15,000 and prizes in kind from the sponsors with Buena Vista’s JR Ledesma, Fortune Ledesma, and event organizer Mon Marchan presenting the awards after the race.

Second was the favored Urban Goats team of New Zealand Eco Challenge survivor Leo Oracio, Natnat Benares and Claire Montemayor (5:51.23). Third was Team MMS composed of Retzel Orquiza, Roberto Arevalo, and Ma. Lea Lataya (6:04.43).

"Running second yata kami bago nung CP 12, nung nakita namin yon, pang lima na kami," said Oracion.

His New Zealand teammate, Mao Datiles, formed another team, Bikemate which finished fourth overall after getting demerits on a technicality.

A celebrity/media team of Game Plan host Tricia Chiongbian, Mark Rodil, and John Aguilar ruled the shorter Beginners division in 3:04.04.

Kaakibat, a group of military personnel and all PMA alumni,sent a team composed of Ricarte Dayata, Rony Keith Marquez, and Concepcion Reano, who suffered a bad bike spill and finished second (3:29.46). Third was Adventure Society-AIG (4:11.46).