New challenge awaits elite XTERRA cast

MANILA, Philippines -  The crack pro XTERRA cast, including 11 in the men’s side, braces for a rough, tough challenge when the country’s premier Off-Road Triathlon unreels Sunday at its new home in Danao, Cebu.

The field, led by defending champion Bradley Weiss of South Africa and Aussie ace Ben Allen, will not only be tackling the course’s demanding layout but also the extreme summer heat in what could be a survival of the fittest for the top $15,000 purse and ranking points.

The finishing 10km run stage, for one, will feature a series of climbs and single track and narrow trails and a course with lots of loose rocks tipped to make or break one’s title bid in the event organized by Sunrise Events, Inc.