Ace triathletes eye Pinoy Elite title

MANILA, Philippines - A topnotch cast of local bets, led by Cobra Energy Drink brand ambassadors Arland Macasieb, Neil Catiil and Noy Jopson, sets a grand chase for the Cobra 70.3 Ironman Filipino Elite crown as the toughest triathlon race returns to Philippine shores on Aug. 4-5 in Cebu.

Macasieb, a 17-time finisher in the Arizona Ironman and owner of the standing national record in the Ironman distance (9:44) will go all out to defend the title he won in come-from-behind fashion last year.

Catiil, the 2010 Filipino Elite champion, will embark on an emotional quest for the diadem after his struggle of a third place finish in 2011. Last time around, he was slowed down by hypoglycemia but managed to complete the lung-busting swim-bike-run before he was wheeled out on a stretcher upon crossing the finish line.

Cebuano Jopson, a Ford Ironman World Championships Qualifier in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, will be determined to defend his home turf and repeat the performance that netted him the first Cobra Ironman title in 2009.

This year’s Cobra Ironman 70.3 promises to be the biggest and more challenging edition to date, with the participants set to swim in the sea for the first time after racing in a man-made lake for the past three years. The 1.2-km swim will start at the beach of Shangri-La Mactan.

“Cobra Energy Drink is very proud to bring back the country’s most anticipated sporting event now held in the wonderful island of Cebu. We are very excited this year especially because of our Ironman champion endorsers Arland Macasieb, Neil Catiil and Noy Jopson, all of whom are high-caliber world-class athletes who represent the Filipino’s indomitable spirit and the world-class quality of Cobra Energy Dink,” said Abe Cipriano, marketing manager of Asia Brewery, Incorporated.

High-level foreign bets are expected in the competition, led by back-to-back overall champion Pete Jacobs of Australia who’s gunning for a “three-peat,” and Terenzo Bozzone of New Zealand, who’s looking to wrest back the plum he won in 2009.

All Cobra Energy Drink variants are power-packed with Taurine, Inositol, Ginseng and Vitamin B Complex from DSM Quali-Blends, the world’s largest and most trusted pharmaceutical vitamin supplier, ensuring world-class quality and nutrition from every bottle.  

In a talk held recently, Dr. Hua Jing, MD, Phd of John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, said: “Cobra Energy Drink benefits not only your energy but also your health as it is packed with essential vitamins and minerals. In this day and age where many people don’t have ready access to balanced nutrition, Cobra Energy Drink can help supplement your daily requirements.”