World bike champ leads international cast in Yellow Cab Challenge

MANILA, Philippines - The YellowCab Challenge Philippines unwraps Feb. 21 in Subic with multi-awarded world champion Chris “Macca” McCormack, Challenge Atlantic City winner Fredrik Croneborg of Sweden and the inaugural Challenge Philippines second place finisher Michael Murphy of Australia heading the crack pro field.

Former cycling pro Domenico Passuello of Italy, coming off from a great season highlighted by a title romp in the 2014 Challenge Rimini and Challenge Sardinia, is also in the fold along with American Brian Fleischmann, 2013 Challenge Laguna Phuket winner Rasmus Petraeus of Denmark, Aussie Eric Watson and Austrian Christoph Schlagbauer, who will be racing for the first time in the Philippines.

Kelly Williamson, who just had an impressive 2014 season capped by her win in Ironman Texas, banners the crack women’s pro field, hoping to reign on her first try against the likes of 2014 Challenge Batemans Bay and IM 70.3 St. Croix winner Radka Vodickova of the Czech Republic, and Olympic medalist Emma Pooley of Great Britain, who placed third in last year’s event. 

Briton Parys Edwards, winner in 2013 ITU World Championships in London, is also tipped to crowd the favorites in the event which features local bet Monica Torres, Thailand’s Carole Fuch, Katja Rabe, European campaigner Louise Rundqvist of Sweden and Aussie Stef Puszka.

“Many of the world’s best have claimed that Challenge Philippines Subic-Bataan is the toughest half distance race in Asia! No doubt this old school course will put you to the test, but it is still achievable and breathtakingly beautiful,” said Dave Voth, Leverage Sports Asia CEO and chairman of Challenge Philippines Subic-Bataan. “Bataan provides a setting that the world would want to see. It’s a race that will celebrate hard work and it does provide bragging rights for a lifetime.”