Seniors among star-studded Cebu 70.3 field

CEBU—Among the confirmed 1,767 participants of the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championships as of Thursday are three male triathletes in the oldest age group category of 70-74 years.

Japan’s Yoshimori Hirai and Horiuchi Tadashi and New Zealand’s Mike Ramsay will mix it up with over 30 professional entries and at least nine Asian Elite contenders—all Filipinos—in the 1.9-kilometer swim, 90-km bike, 21.2-km run race firing off Sunday starting at the beachfront of Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

Participants will then make their way from the swim exit at the boat ramp to the transition area at Mactan Newton beach for the 90-km bike leg. The 21.2-km run will start and end at Shangri-La.

The Cebu South Coastal Road used to host the bike route but local officials disallowed it this year after growing complaints on the traffic situation. Instead, bikers will take three laps to cover the new Mactan-Mandaue route.

At stake are 50 slots to the France worlds later this year, a total prize fund of $75,000 and trophies and medals by industrial designer and local son Kenneth Cobonpue, known the world over for handmade furniture pieces that use natural materials.

Three-time Cebu 70.3 champion Tim Reed and three-time world Ironman champion Craig Alexander of Australia and 2016 Xterra world champion Mauricio Mendez of Mexico head the male professional field.