Ready for bigger Ironman

Meyer says Cebu capable of hosting World Championships

CEBU, Philippines — After seven successful hosting including two Asia-Pacific Championships in the half-Ironman distance, the organizers have proven their capabilities to handle big events, even a world championship.

This was disclosed by no less than Geoff Meyer, the managing director of Ironman Asia, in an exclusive interview with The Freeman.

Meyer said Sunrise Events and its local counterparts have pulled off an amazing job especially in the just concluded Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championships which had gone through some obstacles with its race course.

Of course, there were lessons learned out of the event.

“The past few weeks going into the Asia-Pacific Championships were a very challenging one especially with the changes in the route. I commend the organizers for doing an amazing job. The feedback was fantastic except on the suggestion of the pros to just have it on two loops,” said Meyer.

With such a positive outcome of the last race, Meyer said Cebu is ready for a much bigger challenge, the 70.3 World Championships.

The Ironman 70.3 World Championships was created in 2006 in Florida until 2011, then moved to Henderson, Nevada.

In 2014, the event went on its new global rotation with Quebec as its first stop followed by Europe, Austria, Australia and then in South Africa next month.

Being a world championship, the number of athletes and countries are expected to be double than that of the regional championships.

Categories here include the professional, age-group, hand-cycle, and physically challenged open division.

However, to be able to do it, Cebu needs to find a venue that has a single loop, especially on the bike route due to the volume of participants.

“We need to have a one-loop course for this event to keep everyone safe and we also need two days to do it. This will depend now on how the local government supports such event,” added Meyer.

The quickest solution for a one-loop course is returning back to the action to as far as Talisay City via South Road Properties.

Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo, upon learning of the said development, quickly responded that the coastal road under the SRP could be available for use already by next year since the ongoing underpass project at N. Bacalso is due for completion at the end of this year though it will take a few more months for curing before it can already be used.

“Having a new course turned out to be a blessing in disguise.The pros loved it except that they want it done on two loops only instead of three if possible,” said Sunrise Events, Inc. (SEI) President and CEO Wilfred Steven Uytengsu.

The champion himself, Mauricio Mendez of Mexico, liked the new route but wants the bike course done in two loops instead of three. He looks forward to returning to battle in Cebu next year.

“I prefer last year’s course better although I also like this year’s course but would want to just have two laps then it would be perfect. Having it for three laps makes it a bit scary as people tend to crowd the route,“ said Mendez.

Former world champion and three-time Cebu edition champion Tim Reed added that the bike route was very safe, thanks to the “excellent” crowd control of the route.

Tyler Butterfield, the first triathlete from Bermuda to join the “world’s most spectator-friendly” Ironman race, also loved the action here and looks forward to going back next year.

“I love it.I couldn’t ask for more.I hope to be back here next year,” said Butterfield.

With the gods and goddesses of triathlon expressing positively about Cebu’s latest hosting of the race and its route, a world championship in the near future is not far-fetched. (FREEMAN)