MANILA, Philippines – Team Kidlat, headed by Makati Mayor Romulo Peña, successfully completed the grueling Cannonball 2016 recently, finishing the 1,200-kilometer Northern Luzon route challenge within the prescribed time of 24 hours.
Team Kidlat, which is also composed of Edmond Ryan Garma, Salen Bernard, George Peña, Edowell Javier, Francis Tapia, Kagawad Rodney and Tristan Cailles, was one of three motorcycle teams that successfully finished the Endurance 1,000 category. Mayor Peña used a Triumph Tiger XC motorcycle.
“We are looking forward to a grander event next year,” said Almeda, a six-time endurance race champion. “I’m sure everyone who participated had a great time and will be back next year.”
The adventure challenge kicked off on Jan. 8 at the Clark Oxford Hotel. The field, a motley mix of exotic and supercars such as Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar, Aston Martin, BMW and Porsche, together with Mazda, Chrysler, Morgan, Peugeot, Mahindra and motorcycles KTM, BMW, Ducati, MV Agusta Husqvarna, Honda, Suzuki, Vespa and TVS, drove to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte and back to Clark in a required time of 24 hours.
Other personalities who joined the motorsports event were actors Albert Martinez and Jericho Rosales, Sen. JV Ejercito, Gaby dela Merced, comedian Ramon Bautista, San Miguel Beer team manager Dandy Henares, among others.
Two-wheel riders competed in the premier Endurance 1,000 division, which joined the cars in the 24-hour run. Underbones and scooters pegged at 300cc below had a class of their own, the Endurance 500, which traced a similar but more compact route of 500kms under a 12-hour time limit.
Participated in by close to 800 drivers and riders, Cannonball 2016 was organized by Joey Almeda and supported by Unioil, Total, Petron, Filoil, Flying V and Granstar, with help from Silver sponsors Wrangler, Jeep, Harley Davidson, Ropali, Bench, Hitch Pro, Toyota, Mahindra, Peugeot, Kymco and Phil GPS.