Cebu triathlon attracts top international field

MANILA, Philippines — A banner international field, led by last year’s defending champion Ben Allen of Australia, gears up for the Vaseline Men Xterra Off-Road Triathlon 2014 on March 15 in Liloan, Cebu.

Allen, who also posted three other victories last year, will be challenged by Michal Bucek of Slovakia, Charlie Epperson, Dan Hugo and Bradley Weiss in the men’s side plus a slew of local triathletes in a test of skills and stamina.

Bucek topped the 70.3 Challenge in Taiwan last year and placed second in the Yilan Olympic Distance Tri while Epperson won the Olympic-Distance Guam National Triathlon and Xterra Boys Blaze Trail Run last year.

Hugo, on the other hand, dominated last year’s Xterra South East championship and placed runner-up and third in Xterra Mexico and Xterra Brazil last year, respectively.

Weiss, meanwhile, is coming off a victory in the Totalsports Challenge and won last year’s Pro Male Totalsports Challenge winner, making the battle for the crown a toss-up among the leading foreign bets in the event sponsored by Vaseline and organized by Sunrise Events, Inc.

An equally exciting clash also looms in the distaff side with Xterra Australia and New Zealand champion Renata Bucher and Mieko Carey, who dominated last year’s Xterra Japan tilt and Guam National Triathlon spearheading the field.

For details, visit www.xterraphils.com.