Catiil, Benedicto head tough Bohol race

Veteran racers Neil Catiil and August Benedicto put their stamina to a grueling test when the 1st Timex 226 Bohol Iron Distance Triathlon gets going next month.

But several foreigners are expected to challenge the Philippines’ top bets in the strength-sapping 3.8K swim-180K bike-42K marathon run in the scenic island on Dec. 3 and 4.

The long-distance race kicks off at the pristine Anda beach for the swim leg, before heading to the tough but scenic bike and marathon routes that include views of the Jagna coast and Candijay mangrove forest.

“This early, we are already assuring everybody that this will be an annual event,” said third district Bohol representative Arthur Yap, head of the local organizing committee.

Yap said that the province, which boasts the famed Chocolate Hills, is turning into a sports destination as it also successfully staged the two-day Tour of Bohol last month.

Ting Joson of Bike King, Laarni De Guzman and Janice Tanada of Timex TMM lead the female bets, while other local challengers are Laguna Lake Tri Team’s Joevic Pajarillo, Tri North’s Faivo Bartolome, Endure’s Melvin Pangan, Tri Minda’s Gregie Pamakid, Team David’s Salon’s Albino Alindogan, Polo Tri’s Joey Torres and Guy Concepcion and Juan Jose Bonin of the Triathlon Association from the Island of Negros.

Singapore’s Fo Check Siang and Christopher McFaul are among the early foreign entries.

This is only the third time the country will host a long-distance triathlon event. In 2002, Nonoy Jopson and Ani Karina De Leon-Brown emerged as the top Filipinos in the inaugural staging in Matabungkay, Batangas.