THE XTERRA Off-Road Triathlon finds a new home in the South in Danao, Cebu.
Host of numerous international mountain bike events in recent years, Danao opens its doors to endurance athletes out to test their limits in a challenging 1.5K swim, 40K bike on fireroads and rocky terrain, and 10K trail run with the city’s scenic mountain ranges as backdrop.
The first XTERRA Triathlon South race blasts off April 23 with around 300 to 400 competitors expected to answer the starting gun, led by the men’s champion of last year’s competitions in Albay, Bradley Weiss, and 2016 women’s runner-up Jacqui Slack.
Danao is staging XTERRA until 2019 in line with the three-year contract signed by local officials, led by Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI, with Princess Galura, general manager of the organizing Sunrise Events, Inc.
Danao offers a challenging course that tests not only the field’s stamina and power but also their mental toughness.
Backers of the event are the City of Danao, Province of Cebu, 2GO Express, Cetaphil, David’s Salon, DOT, Tourism Promotions Board, HYPER HD on Cignal TV, Columbia, Prudential Guarantee, Rock Tape, Sanicare, The Philippine Star, Trilife Magazine, Coca Cola Femsa, Powerade and Wilkins with Coco Palms Resort and El Salvador as venue and hotel partners.
The swim starts and end at Coco Palm Beach Resort while the bike stage will be held on a two-loop course starting with barangay road leading to a higher elevation, featuring several punishing climbs, fireroads and rocky terrains.
The culminating run part will have participants racing on a gradual climb in grass open areas leading to portions with lots of loose rocks. The one-loop course takes them to a single track and narrow lanes before bringing them back to the finish line at Cebu Technological University.
Aside from the centerpiece full distance races, XTERRA Danao offers competitions in Lite Distance (750m swim, 20k mountain bike, 5k trail run) and Duathlon Distance (3K trail run, 20K mountain bike, 5K trail run).