Jacobs triumphs anew in style

PILI, Camarines Sur, Philippines – Pete Jacobs played catch-me-if-you-can yesterday and found himself crossing the finish line with his hands held high, and with plenty to spare.

“This is excellent,” said Jacobs, granting an interview at the finish-line area while his closest pursuers were out in the rain desperately trying to catch him.

He did the grueling 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike and 21 km run, starting and ending at the CamSur Watersports Complex, in three hours, 51 minutes, 43 ticks.

Jacobs could have done a couple of seconds faster had he decided to move on after the transition. But he saw his wife, Jamie, and he stopped by to kiss her.

The Jacobs are on a honeymoon, and before coming over here they spent a couple of nights in scenic Caramoran in nearby Catanduanes.

As he neared the finish line, Jacobs stayed close to the crowd barrier, exchanging high fives with those who cheered him on. A few seconds, he knew, wouldn’t hurt.

Of course, it didn’t.

Jesse Thomas of the United States, a first-timer here and tipped to give Jacobs a run for his money, was a far second – 20 minutes behind at 4:12:30.

“It feels good and I’m so happy to win here again,” said the super triathlete from Australia after wrapping up his second Cobra 70.3 Philippines Ironman.

Jacobs won last year’s title in 3:58, the  difference perhaps due to yesterday’s steady rain that just made things a lot cooler than expected.

“In CamSur we do our best and pull the strings. You asked for rain and we gave you rain,” said L-Ray Villafuerte, governor to the country’s No.1 tourist destination.

Alaska Milk CEO Wilfred Uytengsu, who helped bring this world-class event together, said it was just wonderful to see the country’s triathletes racing alongside the best.

“You just don’t step in at Wimbledon with (Roger) Federer or tee off with Tiger (Woods). But we did it here,” he said.

The 1,100 participants, from the pros to the age-groupers, were fired off, in batches, at 6:10 a.m., before a big, beautiful crowd and under a grayish sky.

But as soon as they all got out of the water, the rain began to fall. It was still drizzling when Jacobs crossed the finish as the crowd cheered him on. Jacobs was first out of the water, first off the bike and eventually, first to cross the finish.

“I felt good coming out of the water, and that it was Amanda (Stevens) and not Jesse chasing me,” said Jacobs, a 30-year-old professional triathlete.

He built up his lead every inch of the way.

“I thought I was being pressured (run stage) but when I looked behind I was alone so I stepped it up,” said Jacobs.

“This is a sweet way to end our honeymoon,” he added, smiling like he won the crown for the first time. He was fourth in 2009 behind winner Tereno Bozzone (3:51.25).

Cameron Brown of New Zealand came in third, closely behind Thomas, and followed by Erich Felbabel (4:17:44), Assad Attammi (4:18:08), Dane Cantwell (4:24:25), Justin Granger (4:25:30) and wife Belinda Granger (4:26:03).

Meanwhile, former Philippine Sports Commission chair Eric Buhain did six hours in his first Ironman stint.

Belinda Granger emerged as the top female athlete this year when Amanda Stevens of the United States seemed ready to nail by coming out first in the water and bike stages.

Stevens wound up with a time of 4:28:34 while Bree Wee was next with her 4:35:16. Katya Meyers, the model, came in at 4:39:37.

Arland Macasieb was the top Filipino entry, finishing ninth overall at 4:26:31 while Neil Catiil, last year’s best, was at 4:38:10. Noy Jopson was at 4:41:10. Uytengsu looked so good with his 5:41:11.

Monica Torres and Amanda Carpo carried the fight for the Filipinas with their times of 4:55:15 and 5:07:38, respectively. Senator Pia Cayetano leapt and smiled as she breasted the tape in 6:04.