Cebu Loves Tri Series: Fish 18 Sport dominates first leg

CEBU, Philippines - Team Fish 18 Sport sets the early pace with a total of 150 points during the first leg of the Sugbutriathlon-organized Cebu Loves Tri Team Championship Series yesterday in the nothern Cebu town of San Remigio.

Team Fish 18 Sport, composed of Gerrie Calinawan, Abet Biagan, Franz Baguio, Mendel Lopez, Eugene Sanchez and Chris Aldeguer, actually had more points to give if only Sanchez and Aldeguer’s points will be included.

However, only the first four finishers of each team will be counted in the overall standings.

Parklane Hotel is a far second with 48 points, while Patt’s Tri Team, reinforced by Alvirg Busa of Trigorgeous/CHRC, is at third spot with 32 points. Equicredit and Aquamarine occupied the next two sports with 28 and 19 points, respectively.

In the relay team championship, Tri Chikaan is on top of the heap with 30 points followed by Prince Warehouse with 25, Lasang Runners with 20, and Chrisfidelis with 17 points.

The actual relay competition, however, saw the trio of Derek Dytian, Kirby Lim and Adrian Walag under Team Tri Chikaan finishing first with an aggregate time of 3:18:42.

Robert Go and Dave Acenas of Prince Warehouse placed third in 3:30:58, while Lasang Runners ranked third behind the efforts of Doreen Jabines, Mohammad Sherwin Manangil and Lyra Valles.

In the individual battle, Banjo Norte of Alaska TBB was unopposed in the men's 19-under class. He completed the race in 2:25:22.

Cebuano Gerrie Calinawan of Fish 18 Sport topped the men’s 20-29 class, while Abet Biagan came out the fastest in the men’s 30-39 age group. The men’s 40-49 class saw Gandhi Truya on top with the time of 3:04:34, while Cesar Telen was unopposed in the men's 50-above.

In the women's category, Chris Aldeguer’s wife Nia pulled one big surprise as she ranked no.1 overall.

Nia, daughter of Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III, finished the standard distance triathlon race in three hours, 22 minutes and 18 seconds to lord it over in the girls 30-39 class. Her husband Cris placed fourth in the men’s 30-39.

Cianyl Jamae Gonzalez, the top entry in the girls 19-under, trailed Nia with the time of 3:27:53, while Rowena Duarte of TBB placed third overall with a 3:41:23 clocking.

The other female age-group winners were Parklane Hotel’s Hannah Lou Galo in the 20-29 with the time of 4:00:30 and Tricore’s Lorna Amor in the 40-49 with a 4:00:44 clocking. (FREEMAN)