Winner of two Olympic distance races in Bohol and Subic, Bea Quiambao levels up this time, going for the half-triathlon championship in the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Princesa reeling off Sunday (Nov. 13) in Palawan.
While the upcoming 1.9 km swim, 90km bike and 21k run event poses a sterner test than the 5150 races (1.5km swim, 40km bike, and 10k run), Quiambao is more than ready and eager to put on display her blend of skills harnessed through a series of competitions in such kind of exacting endurance races.
And her imposing victories in Bohol last July and in Subic last month should more than bolster her confidence heading to this weekend’s battle on a course spruced up to international standards.
In fact, the host LGU has guaranteed a safe and successful conduct of the event organized by The IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events, Inc. serving as the final IM race in the year about to end that marked the return of the triathlon series following a two-year hiatus due to pandemic.
But while Quiambao, the Next Step Tri spearhead, is upbeat of her chances to cap a prolific campaign in the season, a slew of others are also all geared up to spoil her bid and fan their respective title bids, including Charlotte Jackson of FIT PH, Kath Lagunsad of Sante Barley Tri Team, Trinics’
Adah Valena and Bernadeth Bisoc of Judiciary Tri Team.
Over 1,200 triathletes are vying in the blue-ribbon event, including 895 in the individual competition with titles also to be disputed in various age-group categories. Spicing up the event are the relay men’s and women’s and relay mixed.
Listup is ongoing.
For details, visit www.ironman.com/im703-puerto-princesa, [email protected], or www.ironman.com for brand and global event series.
The event, backed by Active, Athletic Brewing Co., Breitling, Fulgaz, Gatorade, Hoka Fly Human Fly, Hyperice, Qatar Airways, ROKA, Santini, Vinfast, Wahoo, has also lured participants from 25 nations, all looking forward to a memorable racing experience in the City in a Forest.
Puerto Princesa is famous worldwide for its subterranean river national park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the Seven New Wonders of Nature with the hosts also putting in place the traffic re-routing and road closures one week before the event.
Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron has also hinted at the city’s hosting of the IM 70.3 in the next two years next season’s edition to be bannered by the leading pros and rising triathletes from all over.
Meanwhile, represented in this weekend’s IM 70.3 are the US, Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, India and Japan, Brazil, Thailand, the Netherlands, South Africa, Vietnam, New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Korea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Saint Lucia, and Guatemala.
The event’s other sponsors are Always Advancing, Compressport, Ekoi, Outside, Sportograf.com, along with event partners Alaska, Lightwater, Prudential Guarantee, Rudy Project, Santé, One Sport, Cignal and The Philippine Star, while the event’s official hotels are Alvea Puerto Princesa, Costa Palawan Resort, Fersal Hotel, Go Hotels, Hotel Centro, HUE Hotel and Resorts, Jeamco Royal Hotel, Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa and Sunlight Hotel Puerto Princesa.