Ben Allens set out for XTERRA sweep

MANILA, Philippines — Aussie Ben Allen and Jacqui Slack-Allen seek to foil Bradley Weiss and Carina Wasle’s back-to-back title drive and pull off a rare husband-and-wife sweep of the XTERRA Philippines series when the premier off-road triathlon is fired off Sunday in Danao, Cebu.

Ben and Jacqui missed the inaugural XTERRA staging in Danao last year after placing third and second, respectively, in Albay in 2016 but both are coming into this weekend’s event organized and produced by Sunrise Events, Inc. ready to slug it out with the best in the fold.

Weiss and Wasle posted a pair of emphatic victories over a crack international field last year but both expect a tougher challenge this time with Allen aiming to add the title to his past XTERRA victories in Malaysia, Asia Pacific Tour, Saipan and Guam, among others.

Two other couples are also in the fold – Jackie Boisset and Myriam Guillot-Boisset of France and Brodie Gardner and partner Kate Schultz of Australia, both raring to prove their worth in the grueling 1.5K swim-28K mountain bike-8K trail run event serving as the second of three Xterra races slated at the Coco Palms Beach Resort and Cebu Technological U in Danao.

Also tipped to contend for the crown are New Zealand’s Sam Osborne and Japanese Takahiro Ogasawara, winners of XTERRA Saipan in 2017 and 2016, respectively, Kiwi Kiera McPherson, Brodie Gardner of Australia, Frenchman Fabien Combaluzier, Alex Roberts of New Zeland, American Will Ross and local ace Joseph Miller.

Fierce competition is also seen in the women’s pro side with Jackie Allen and Wasle facing a formidable set of rivals in Leela Hancox of Australia, Myriam Guillot-Boisset, also of France, Laura Dias of Brazil, Kristy Jennings of New Zealand, and Aussies Kate Schultz and Penny Slater.