COBRA IRONMAN 70.3 Villafuerte vows safest, grandest event

MANILA—The Cobra IRONMAN 70.3 in the Philippines promises to be a different version of the events being held in other parts of the world.

This weekend, Camarines Sur, led by no less than its Governor, L-Ray Villafuerte, will make sure that the participants will have the safest, grandest time while competing at the CamSur Watersports Complex.

“I want to be hands-on in handling this event,” Villafuerte told the Inquirer in a phone interview yesterday. “I want to make sure that everyone’s happy before, during and after. They (participants) will feel the love of CamSur every step of the way.”

“All the foreign bets have been telling me in the past that Ironman Philippines is very different because of the love that our people give them,” Villafuerte continued. “This year won’t be any different.”

Villafuerte, who trained for four months in a bid to join the event but decided against it at the last minute, has lined up several activities to make sure that his constituents will not only watch Ironman 70.3 but be a part of it as well.

“We’ve launched contests in schools, barangays and the like to make sure that our province will be beautiful and make our people a part of the event as well,” Villafuerte said.

Security and safety of the participants are paramount in Villafuerte’s mind as he will employ a lifeguard in the swim area every two meters while having divers underwater for the duration of the swim challenge.

More than 1,100 bets coming from 28 countries will swim, bike and run not only for the title in CamSur but for the chance to see action in the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and the Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Las Vegas.

Pete Jacobs guns for a second straight title in the men’s division.