IF YOU think you’re tough, then Tough X Rough is for you, the world’s most difficult Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) and Asia’s only OCR World Championship Qualifier.
Brought to the Philippines by TV5, Tough X Rough has attracted thousands of registrants and they keep on pouring in.
Participants will compete in eight race events patterned after a military-type commando training, including three short courses, four long courses, four booth camps and a national championship to be held in various venues around the country.
The top male and female individual winners and the top men and women’s teams will get prizes, including a free trip to the coveted OCR World Championship at the Blue Mountain Resort, the largest mountain resort in Ontario Canada on Oct. 15 and 16.
David Broth, the man behind the Rough and Tough Asia, said participants will get to test their character and their physical capabilities in a safe and controlled environment.
“It’s more than just a race, it’s about experience, hard work, perseverance, teamwork and the sense of community,” said Broth, who has handled several blue-chip events like the Challenge Family Triathlon in the Philippines, F1 Night Race, 1st Youth Olympic Games, Net Ball World Championship, FINA World in Singapore, and Ironman Triahtlon, among others.
The international rules for OCR require the competitors to race across various challenges like climbing over walls, lifting heavy objects, traversing bodies of water, crawling under barbed wires and jumping through blazing hoops.
Races vary both in the distance and challenge levels, combining the skills for trail running, road running and cross-country running.
“We are very excited to bring this breakthrough event that promises Filipino sports fans an entirely new level of sports action,” said Sports 5 head Patricia Bermudez Hizon. “We’ll get to witness individuals pushed to their limits and the value of teamwork and sportsmanship in achieving one’s goals.”
What makes the individual race unique is that competitors can help one another, especially in the climbing course when one needs a push to get to the other side of the walls.
The Tough X Rough was recently launched at the Greenfield Central Park in Mandaluyong with hundreds of trial participants testing some of the challenges.
Actor-sportsman Derek Ramsay will host the event that will be shown over TV 5.