John Alcala in a chat with The Inquirer on Friday. | Denison Rey A. Dalupang/PDI
DAVAO CITY — “We’re just trying to enjoy the heat here.”
Thus declared John Alcala, albeit with a nervous chuckle, as the Palawan winner joins big names in Sunday’s Alveo Ironman 70.3, which is projected to be the biggest—and the hottest—race in the calendar.
“Davao. Life is here and so is the heat,” said Ines Santiago, best known for being the first Filipina to race Ironman’s grandest stage in Kona, Hawaii, and one of about 1,000 other endurance athletes who will chart a fast racecourse projected to sizzle as hot as 37 Celsius and will feature the Pakiputan Strait along with Davao City’s commercial district.
The return of professionals easily makes the race—which will be flagged off around 6 a.m. at Azuela Cove here—the biggest under the Ironman’s calendar according to Sunrise Events president and CEO Princess Galura.
But what makes this staging even more noteworthy is the Tribu Maisguon team competition, put together in honor of the city’s 11 ethnolinguistic tribes.
“This is really about being diverse while being united,” she told the Inquirer on the eve of the race. “Tribu Maisugon (also hopes to highlight) that while you train alone, you also have to consider other people in your team.
The top 11 individual finish times of each team will be added together and will determine the fastest time that will be awarded a prize purse of P550,000 and a trophy made by prolific homegrown artist Kublai Millan.
Alcala is set to figure prominently for Tri-SND Barracuda, one of the heavy favorites. Santiago, meanwhile, is the woman to beat in the female 40-44 age group of the race that will feature a 1.9-kilometer swim, 90K bike, and 21K run.
18 pros will dispute a handsome cash prize of USD 30,000 (about P1.6 million) and highlight Ironman’s return to form after being scratched in Davao thrice during the pandemic.
“I think, in terms of the return of international travel, and visitors, it’s just so exciting to see so many people return here with such excitement, such spirit. I think we’re going to have a great race here Sunday,” said Jeff Edwards, Ironman’s managing director for Asia.
Leading that crack cast are Filipe Avezedo of Portugal and Tuan Chun Chang of Taiwan. Joining the two previous IM 70.3 winners are 20-year veteran Michael Raelert of Germany, and Kaito Tohara of Japan, who prides himself on “specifically running in hot and humid conditions.”
Regular Philippine visitor Dimity-Lee Duke, fellow Australian Sarah Crowley and UAE’s Lottie Lucas, meanwhile, banner the distaff side.
“We are excited to witness the third conduct of this international sporting event here. The committee has assured that all necessary preparations are being taken care of for the safety of everyone and for the smooth undertaking of the event,” said Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte.
Young bidders also got to test portions of the racecourse during Saturday’s IronKids, with one winner even noting how torturous the run phase could feel under the heat of the summer sun.
“I thought I was going to end up second, so this was unexpected,” 8-year-old Jashiva Earl said after ruling the 6-8 girls division with an age-group best time of 8:04. “The run was the toughest. It felt very far.”
The Davao 70.3, backed by Petron, is one of the three races scheduled this year under the Sunrise banner. The two others are in Subic Bay in June and Puerto Princesa in November. This one, however, will be the lone event that will feature pros.