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LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines – Some 50 slots to the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship and a total of USD $75,000 are up for grabs as the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship presented by Ford will finally kickoff early Sunday, August 7 in the Province of Cebu with more than 3,000 triathletes from 43 countries seeing action.
This is the first time that an Asia Pacific championship of the half ironman is held here in Asia which has gathered the biggest field in pro triathletes at more than 30.
The pros field is also the most competitive so far with Australia’s Tim Reed returning for the second time in the Philippines to defend his title in the Asia Pacific Championship.
Reed is in condition to retain his Asia Pacific title which he clinched in Auckland, New Zealand last year as he recently completed a full distance ironman in first place in his native Australia last May.
He first competed in the Philippines in last year’s IronMan 70.3 Philippines, grabbing the first place by just a few seconds ahead of close friend and fellow Australian Tim Van Berkel, who will likely be his closest pursuer in Sunday’s race.
Van Berkel himself is coming from a first place finish in the full distance Ironman Asia Pacific in Cairns. Equally strong contenders are Canada’s Brent McMahon, and Australians Craig Alexander and Sam Betten.
Other pros in the contest are Australia’s Leon Griffin, Bradley Kahlefeldt, Alexander Polizzi, David Mainwaring and Jake Montgomery; New Zealand’s Matthew Franklin, Cameron Brown and Braden Currie; France’s Anthony Costes and Sebastian Jouffret; Great Britain’s Eric Watson and James Hadley; USA’s Brad Williams, Italy’s Jonathan Ciavatella and Denmark’s Jens Petersen Bach.
The Philippines will have a representative in Dan Brown, an Australian who now lives here in the Philippines.
The women’s division will have an equally tough field led by Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen who will be gunning for her 5th straight title here in Cebu.
Steffen has not missed an Ironman race in Cebu since it started here in 2012. Having won a half Ironman 20 times and the Asia Pacific twice Steffen is indeed a formidable foe and the favorite to once again take home the top plum this Sunday.
Hoping to put a dent in Steffen’s record are Australians Dimity Lee-Duke, Kathryn Haesner, Sarah Crowley and Amanda Wilson; Russia’s Radka Vodicova; New Zealand’s Amelia Rose Watkinson; Spain’s Judith Corachan Vacquera while the Philippines’ lone entry will be Kim Kilgroe, a national team member of triathlon. This will be Kilgroe’s second ironman race.
Aside from the pros men and women contest, there will also be a Filipino elite category which is an equally exciting contest among the locals, and the age group categories.
The race will have participants swimming 1.9 kilometers in the waters fronting Shangri-La Mactan’s Resort and Spa, then bike 90 kilometers from the resort to the cities of Mandaue, Cebu, Talisay and back for the last segment of the race, which is a 21-kilometer run from Shangri-La towards Punta Engano and back to the finish line.
To keep participants safe, road closures will be implemented in the 4 cities.
Also, for the first time, the event will have a live stream via www.ironman.com.
Also spicing up the race are celebrities who will be competing as well such as Dingdong Dantes, Piolo Pascual, Matteo Guidicelli, Kim Atienza, Paul Jake Castillo, Ivan Carrapiette,Team Pangilinan and Gilbert Remulla. – Rappler.com
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