Athletes vie for slots in Hawaii race

CEBU, Philippines - Close to 500 athletes are vying for slots in the Xterra Trail Run World Championships in Oahu, Hawaii later this year through the 2012 Vaseline Men Xterra Philippines’ trail run in the town of Liloan tomorrow.

Gun start for the 21-kilometer run is set at 6 a.m. followed by the 10-km run at 6:15 a.m. and then the 5-km run at 6:30 a.m.

The final week of registration for the said event saw an overflow of entries including some foreigners.

Even triathletes taking part in the Xterra off-road battle on Sunday are also joining the trail run as their final preparation instead of just surveying the route.

Merlita Arias-Dunkin, one of the country’s top trail runners lead the 422 confirmed entries for tomorrow’s event.

Arias-Dunkin decided to join the event with the hope of earning a slot to the World Championships.

 Arias-Dunkin, who last weekend was crowned as the first All-Women’s Ultramarathon queen, vies for the premiere women’s 21-km title.

Cebuana triathletes, Rochelle Tan and Lovelienell Casidsid are also joining the trail run before seeing action in the all-Pinay elite battle in the full off-road triathlon on Sunday.

Noy Jopson and his wife, Amale, also opted to do the trail run this time.

Today’s action will have a total of 35 slots available for the World Championships set this December.

The off-road triathlon action also has a total of 35 World Championships slots up for grabs.

The Xterra Off-Road Triathlon World Championships is set in the month of October in Maui, Hawaii, the birth place of this event.

A total of 171 triathletes have confirmed entries in the individual battle of the full length action and 10 relay squads while the triathlon lite close to 50 participants and nine in the relay action.

 In related development, the Xterra Expo is scheduled to open today at Crimson Resort Hotel along with the Alaska Media Center and bike service for the participants and the course read at Amara. (FREEMAN)