For first time, Dalaguete to hold off-road duathlon

CEBU, Philippines - From being the vegetable basket of Cebu Province, the municipality of Dalaguete also looks at transforming Mantalongon into a sports tourism destination starting off with an off-road duathlon at the Mantalongon National High School on May 12.

“We are packaging Dalaguete right now not only as a vegetable capital for Cebu, but also as a sports destination. Amo pud ipakita ang among mapasigarbuhong hiyas sa Mantalongon,” said Dalaguete Sports commissioner Joseph Cisneros in a press conference at the Fuente Pension House yesterday.

This is the first time that a duathlon competition will be held in Dalaguete. Those who are interested to join have only until May 10 to register.

Registration can also be done online via sugbutriathlon.com or at the Cebu City Sports Center's Aquatics Center through Franz Baquio,

Entry fee is pegged at P800 inclusive of an event shirt, meal and race bib plus transportation to and from Dalaguete.

Due to the cold breeze in Mantalongon area, it will not be hard for participants to deal with three kilometers of running, 15K bike and another 6K run.

Elmo Clarabal, the fastest Cebuano triathlete during the 2012 Xterra Philippines, the Cebu leg of the NAGT-Cebu leg and the Bantayan Beach Games, leads the early birds of the event.

“Nindot ni siya nga lumba, short pero sakit. Nindot ni sa among training in preparation for the Ironman,” said Clarabal.

The male category is divided into five classes - under-19, 20-29, 40-49 and 50-above, while the female side is an open competition.

The top three finishers in both divisions will take home P5,000, P3,000 and P2,000, respectively, while the rest of top performers in different age-groups will get medals. - THE FREEMAN