SAN FELIPE, Zambales, Philippines – Noel Bartolome Jr. of Land Rover Club of the Philippines tamed the demanding tracks that practically bedeviled most of the field, including his father Noel Sr., to run away with the overall crown in the second Gov. Jun Ebdane 4x4 Offroad Challenge Sunday.
Steering his four-wheeler in firm control in Barangay Sindol’s sand-and-mud Tracks A, B, and C, the 25-year-old Bartolome made his rivals literally eat his dust as he zoomed his way to the top spot in the two-day event that highlighted Zambales’ rainy day sports activities.
Son of many time national champ Noel Bartolome Sr., the younger Bartolome proved he’s up to the task, assembling an aggregate time of 34:44:23, a good 11 minutes ahead of second-placer Arthur Sicat of Angeles City 4Wheel Drive Club (46:57:12), and 17 minutes adrift John Sambo of Pampanga Offroaders Club (52:16:13) in the race for the overall plum.
“I am very proud of this victory. I wasn’t expecting much to dominate here,” said Bartolome, whose father finished six places behind with 76:18:60, the veteran’s bid hurt by a DNF (did not finish) mark in Track A early in the competition.
Flagging off last in the 27-man field, Bartolome Jr. made a decent drive in the supposedly tamer Track B, then made his big move in the more vicious Track A and sustained his fierce form in the championship Track C, which combined the technical and difficult phases of both tracks.
Bartolome Jr. negotiated the shorter Track B course in 21 minutes and 38.16 seconds, becoming only one of 10 riders who hurdled its obstacles and reached the finish line inside the 25-minute cutoff time.
Shifting to the more vicious Track A, where half of the field went DNF, Bartolome Jr. showed tremendous skills in navigating its deep, wet obstacles, including a five-foot high mound of tires and a 10-foot pileup of sand dubbed “Governor’s Hill”. He logged a blistering 06:49:85 to take top honors in Track A.
With a combined time of 28:28:01, Bartolome Jr. got the No. 2 rank entering the 20-man championship, behind topnotcher Sambo, who submitted a 16:16:13 clocking spiked by a top finish in Track B action (05:08:29).
Bartolome Jr. maintained his blitz in the rain-marred final run, skillfully driving past the challenging hurdles in 6:16.22 to seize the Track C plum and eventually put a lock on the overall championship.
“We had aimed both at entertaining the local and tourist spectators, and provide a much-needed boost to our local tourism industry. And we achieved both.” said Ebdane, who, along with Second District Rep. Omar Ebdane and San Felipe Mayor Caroline Farinas congratulated the winners, racers, and the organizing Zambales Sports and Youth Development Office headed by Eric Matibag and the National Association of Filipino Off-Roaders.
Erstwhile leaders Roger Peyra of the Bicol Offroaders Club and Omer “Do-Or-Die” Dungca faded in the last day of action.
Peyra, 58, submitted 24:57.91 in Track B and his rally in Track C (7:58.47) fell short as he wound up with a 54:00.29 total time, only good for fourth overall.
Deaf-mute Dungca clocked 11:36.91 in Track B but was a DNF in Track C (36:00.00) to end up with 69:28.82 and at No. 5.
Joining Bartolome in the podium for Track A were Sambo (11:07.84) and Jay David also of the Angeles City 4Wheel Drive Club (13:03.71). Sambo (05:08:29) towed Ambet Nicolas (7:41.09) and Dungca (11:36.91) in the Track B winners’ roster.