Fast winning time seen in Cebu 70.3

FILE PHOTO: Tim Reed. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

A winning time that could come close—if not surpass—Aussie legend Tim Reed’s clocking is expected to be recorded on Aug. 7 when the Ironman 70.3 Philippines leg is flagged off over a modified course in Mactan, Cebu.

Reed clocked two hours, one-minute and 22 seconds for the 1.9-kilometer swim, 90-km bike and 21-k run event when he won his fourth title in 2019, and that could be threatened because of the reconfigured design of the course.

With the bike leg to loop the highly-elevated, 8.9-km Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway bridge a couple of times where tail wind can aid the entries, the overall time could be improved drastically.

The bridge is the longest in the country and at 476 feet above sea level, is the tallest, which would make the wind crucial.

“The bike [leg] will be fast, exhausting and exhilarating,” said race director Neville Manaois. “The run course has been reconfigured to a fast and more exciting route.”

The closing run part is also a three-loop course from Mactan Newtown to Punta Engano Road to Amisa, passing by the Magellan cross in the third turnaround and taking a right at ML Quezon National Highway and back to the finish line at Mactan Newtown Blvd.

Close to 2,000 have already registered with over 40 countries represented and 12 titles in different age categories up for grabs.

—Musong R. Castillo