One Tough Race

Thirteen pros considered the best and finest in the world. Over 600 participants, most of them health buffs and adventure-seekers. A rugged, challenging course located in a quaint but scenic coastal town Liloan in Cebu with a breathtaking backdrop of the Camotes Sea. An ideal, not-so-hot weather.Hundreds of hard-working volunteers. Superb organization. Gracious, generous hosts. Enthusiastic expectators. Popular celebrities. Put these all together in one place and the same time and it will sum up what the Vaseline Men XTERRA Weekend was really all about--fun, adventure, active lifestyle and the love for Mother Nature.

“More than just a race, XTERRA is an event to remember and experience. It is an occasion that promotes not just sports tourism in the Philippines because a global audience, through the participants and media coverage, will actually see the breathtaking natural beauty of the country through the course of the race,” said Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, Jr. Alaska Milk Corp. president and CEO through Sunrise Events, Inc. who was the brains in bringing XTERRA to the Filipinos.

“It’s a privilege to bring XTERRA to such an outstanding host like Cebu, which we can say is now the Mecca of XTERRA race in the Philippines,” added Uytengsu, who has also brought the Ironman to the country the last three years in Camarines Sur and in neighboring LapuLapu City this August.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and LiloanMayor Duke Frasco said they’re equally honored to host the Vaseline Men XTERRA Weekend for the second straight year

“We did our best last year to ensure that XTERRA is coming back and we’re glad you did,” said Garcia, who was there from start to finish to witness the race.

“Its a memorable experience having to both participate and host this presitigious event, we hope to have XTERRA again next year and perhaps for more years to come,” said Frasco, who competed in the relay event.

For the second year in a row, the Vaseline Men XTERRA Weekend was successfully staged in Liloan, a town located in the eastern part of a province considered the “Queen City of the South” as it attracted more participants while drawing more starpower from the best and finest the XTERRA world could offer.

A total of nine men and four women’s elite pros from 14 countries including Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Japan, Australia and the United States made a long journey from their respective homes to this part of the countrty to participate in the event that is expected to be a fixture in the world calendar for more years to come. This year’s edition gave finishers a chance to vie for 40 slots to the World Championships for trail run in Oahu, Hawaii and another 40 for triathlon in Maui.

Australian Ben Allen, 2011 XTERRA Brazil winner, French Olivier Marceau, 2011 European Tour champion, American Will Kelsay, considered the Mr. XTERRA of the sport having won multitudes of awards, Swiss Renata Bucher, four-time XTERRA European Tour winner and six-time XTERRA Saipan titlist, Austrian Carina Wasle, 2011 XTERRA Brazil winner were just among the superstars of the sport that descended upon us.

The rest--the US’ BrandenRakita, United Kingdom’s Graham Wadsworth, Cedric Lassonde and Daz Parker and Jacqui Slack, and Hawaii’s Thomas Vonach--also came to give more shine to an already star-filled festivities.

“We’re fortunate to have these superstar athletes to participate in our event,” said Uytengsu. “We’ll not only get to witness why they’re the best in the world, we could also get inspiration from them and pass the word that XTERRA is already upon us.”

And there were also stars, celebrities both in the world of show business as well as politics.

Movie and television stars Jericho Rosales, a Vaseline Men endorser, and Richard Gutierrez, Senator PiaCayetano, a fixture of both marathon and triathlon races, and television personalities Tricia Chiongbian, Rovilson Fernandez and Paolo Abrera and racer Mateo Guidecelli all came and conquered by competing.

Unlike last year, participants were faced with a tougher, more treacherous challenge in this event consisting of a two-loop, 1.5-kilometer swimming, two-loop, 32km mountain biking and one-loop 10km trail running, thanks to race director Guy Concepcion.

“We made it that way to challenge our racers and make it more memorable and it did,” said Concepcion.

The swim course was highlighted by the spectacular view of the 100-year-old Liloan Lighthouse, whose light according to local folklore has guided seafarers here, the mountain biking coursing through some nasty barriers including what race officials here named the “graveyard” for its narrow, dangerous stretch, and the running traversing the San Fernando Rey Parish Church.

And there’s the scorching heat.

At the end of the Vaseline Men XTERRA Offroad Triathlon, Australia’s Ben Allen and Switzerland’s Renata Bucher lived up to hype and ruled their respective divisions with aplomb as they blew by the opposition before a huge appreciative crowd and amid a festive weekend.

Allen, 27, took all the time in the world in swimming, which is actually his favorite event having been a three-time veteran of the World Open Water Championships, before pouring it all in the bike and run parts to reign supreme with an impressive, super human time of two hours, two minutes and five seconds.

And that is not counting the several minutes he lost when he busted his chains and tire in an uphill climb towards the “graveyard.”

“I took my time in swimming because I was really reserving my energy for the biking and running. And when I got by the swimming, everyone was just flying so I gave everything to blow by everyone,” said Allen, who is also a Physical Education teacher back home when not training.

“I ran into technical trouble somewhere in the biking stage but I kept myself inspired because I knew I was leading but I’m just not sure how long,” he added.

The 35-year-old Bucher, a runner-up here a year ago, was equally impressive but found some stiffer challenge on his category before snaring the win with a clocking of 2:53.33.

“It was a challenging course and a fantastic experience, everything is just perfect for me,” said Bucher before taking her check, medal and trophy and leaving to catch up with her flight back home Sunday night.

United Kingdom’s Jacqui Slack and Daz Parker checked in at 2:56.39 and 3:29.44 to finish second and third places, respectively.

Allen got his challenge, though intentionally as he wasn’t giving it all out just yet, from Matthieu O’Halloran at first as the latter splashed his way to a fast, blistering start after coming out of the cold, testy waters with a mighty 27-minute start and followed closely by Daniel Neilson.

It was the closest the rest of the field could get as Allen took charge from there to win the event sponsored by Alaska Slim low-fat Milk, 2XU, LBC, The Philippine STAR, Summit Water, Timex, Gatorade, Prudential Guarantee, Air Phil Express, MultiSport, Studio 23 and David’s Salon, venue host Amara and the province of Cebu and Liloan town.

Marceau, ranked No. 1 in Europe, tried to close the gap but settled for second in 2:32.22, just half a minute ahead of Lassonde, who made it in 2:32.38.

Neil Catiil successfully defended his title by finishing on top in 2:54.47, besting a field of elite Filipino participants Elmer Claravall and Fil-Am ArlanMacasieb, who ended up second and third in 3:02.38 and 3:07.11.

It was a particularly sweet win for the 25-year-old Cagayan de Oro native as he beat Macasieb, who toppled him in the Ironman in Camarines Sur last year.

“I guess I got even,” said Catiil in Filipino.

Rochelle Tan, for her part, emerged the best in the women’s side in 4:19.10 with LoveleinellCasidsid 5:24.02 following suit.

The age-group winners were the following :JemelyDinopol (Female 20-24 years old), Pen Nepomuceno (F 25-29), Camila Brooks (F 30-34), Silvia Tiezzi (F 35-39), Yoshimi Yasue (F 40-44), Lynda Scott (F 45-49), John RonnelUy (Male 10-15), Benjamin Ramirez (M 20-24), Daniel Neilson (M 25-29), Felipe Sajulga III (M 30-34), Charles Fortier (M 35-39), Richard Santiago (M 40-44), Jerome Georges (M 45-49), Juan Jose Bonnin (M 50-54), Jose Ricardo Dizon (M 55-59), Oscar Escudero, Jr (M 60-64).

The other event winners were Beacon Fivefingers (Female relay), Reuben Tri-Team (Male Relay), Metrografix Brick (Mixed relay), Leendy Ann Salve (Lite F 25-29), Florie Mae Datoy (Lite F 30-34), Michelle Almanzor (Lite F 35-39), Luis Miguel Maximo (Lite M 15-19), Wes Chrsitian Yap (Lite M 20-24), Wesley Ian Haw (Lite M 25-29), James Rey Calayca (Lite M 30-34), Raymandelos Angeles (Lite M 35-39), Jun Barcenas (Lite M 40-44), Joseph Cuison (Lite M 45-49), GianlucaGuidecelli (Lite M 50-54), Team Le Franze (Lite female relay), Vaseline Men (Lite male relay) and Narwhale Tri-team (Lite mixed relay).

Everyone was treated to a feast after the race and Uytengsu, Garcia and Frasco awarded the prizes to winners.

Everybody agreed it was an event to remember and raring to return next year with perhaps a better, bigger and tougher edition.

Visit www.xterraphil.com for more info and race results.