Century Tuna full IRONMAN unfolds at Subic

SUBIC – Local triathlon levels up with two key races blasting off today at Subic Bay with the Century Tuna Full IRONMAN Philippines and the Subic Bay 70.3 Triathlon offering a combined record 105 slots to three World Championships in France, Hawaii and Finland.

A total of 340 bidders will slug it out in the exacting 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42km run (full IRONMAN) battle and 568 more from 33 countries in the 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run (70.3) event.

That guarantees a frenetic chase not only for the overall championships and world tilt berths but also for the $1,000 prize added for each of the top finishers in the men’s and women’s divisions in both the full distance and 70.3 races organized by The IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events, Inc.

Bidders in various age categories in the IRONMAN 70.3 kick off the action at 6:20 a.m. with each participant given eight hours and 30 minutes to finish the entire course from the rolling start at the Subic Bay Boardwalk. Those vying in the Century Tuna full IRONMAN launch their respective bids at 6:40 a.m. with each entry given 17 hours to finish the race.

Thirty spots are also up for grabs in the Lahti, Finland 70.3 World Championship on Aug. 26-27.

Greg Banzon, chief operating officer and executive vice president of the sponsoring Century Pacific Food, Inc. through its flagship brand Century Tuna, announced the prize money incentives during the media briefing at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center Friday.

“To achieve something extraordinary, you need to have an extraordinary dream, a challenge so big, a journey so demanding. You need to have the character and the grit to make it happen,” said Banzon, who in 2012 linked it up with SEI founder and IRONMAN Philippines Ambassador Fred Uytengsu and The IRONMAN Group/SEI president and general manager Princess Galura to help give the sport a mainstream appeal.

“A lot is at stake, a lot of opportunities, a lot of dreams to come through and anything is possible,” said Uytengsu, referring to the 50 men’s slots for the IM world meet in Nice, France on Sept. 10 and another 25 seats for women in the Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on Oct. 14 in full IRONMAN.