Bucher set to defend Xterra title

MANILA, Philippines—Defending champion Renata Bucher, Bradley Weiss, Ben Allen, Jacqui Slack and world titlist Flora Duffy arrived in separate flights the past three days, all raring to slug it out in the Xterra Off-Road Triathlon Series firing off Sunday in Legazpi City, Albay.

“Happy to be back in the Philippines for the first race of the Xterra Asia Tour,” said Swiss ace Bucher, the ladies champion in Cebu last year. “I went exploring and tested my run legs for the first time. What a privilege to be here and to be running again.”

The event will officially start today with athletes’ registration/race pack claiming and event expo at Albay Astrodome.

Weiss, who finished second to the now-retired Dan Hugo in Cebu, and Allen are tipped to fight it out for the men’s crown along with Mauricio Mendez, the 19-year-old Mexican out to spoil the veterans’ bid.

Mieko Carey, Charlie Epperson and Daz Parker are also in town to make up close to 300 triathletes in the swim-bike-run event.

The 1.5-kilometer swim will start on the shores of Lidong in Mayon Rivera while the 35K bike stage will be a single loop, point to point race passing through fire roads, grasslands, sand and rocky trails. The finishing 10K run will follow Mayon’s all-terrain vehicle trail.

Sen. Pia Cayetano and celebrities Matteo Guidicelli, Ryan Agoncillo and Paul Jake Castillo are also competing.