Cobra Ironman 70.3 under way in Cebu

LAPU-LAPU, Cebu, Philippines – Two former world champions out to challenge each other, a two-time women’s world second placer vowing to end years of frustration and a slew of smaller stars and pretenders to the throne push their stamina to the limits today in the Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines at the beachfront of the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa here.

Aussie Pete Jacobs goes for a spectacular four-peat after compelling wins in the last three editions – the first two in Camsur in 2010 and 2011 and the last on this very same turf a year back – against a field that shudders with the return of Chris McCormack, a former Ironman world champion.

“The field is getting stronger and stronger each year and this year is no exception,” said Jacobs, a 31-year-old Sydney native whose scintillating victory here last year served as one of his stepping stones in topping the 2012 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

“I’ll try to defend my title in Hawaii this October and it’s good for me to run and see my time and if there’s weaknesses in myself that needs fixing in the next couple of months,” he added.

It will be tougher this time around for Jacobs after McCormack, who won the World Ironman Championships twice in 2007 and 2010, returns to this event five years after finishing in the top three with hopes of making a serious run at his first ever title in this annual event organized by Sunrise.

“I want to take you out, buddy,” said the 40-year-old McCormack, pointing at Jacobs in jest.

“It’s great to be back and had an amazing time when I was here five years ago when I used my participation as a stepping stone for the World Championship,”  added McCormack, whose other significant victories included snaring gold in the 1997 Triathlon in Perth, Australia and Overall World Cup and last year’s ITU Long Distance World Championship.

McCormack, who brought her daughters – seven-year-old Sienna and nine-year-old Tahlia – to compete in yesterday’s Alaska Ironkids Phl here, could not hide his awe after going over the strength of the field.

“This race is going to be spectacular because Fred (Uytengsu) here assembled a stacked-up field, there is so much talent and it’s going to be tough racing the best guys in the world,” he said in yesterday’s press briefing.

Swiss miss Caroline Steffen wants another fling with glory here following her impressive performance in the last staging of this event, which drew a record 2,150 participants from 35 countries across six continents.

“I’m happy to be back and I’m expecting a fun race,” said the 34-year-old Steffen, nicknamed Xena after the main star of the popular television series “Xena: The Warrior Princess”.

She is seeking to win her first World Championship in Kona after a pair of runner-up finishes.

Also vowing to carve out a name are veteran Cameron Brown of New Zealand and Alaska Milk’s TBB  developmental team coach Matt O’Halloran, second and third placers last year, David Dellow, off-road Xterra champion Ben Allen of Australia, Fredrick Cronberg of Sweden and Michael Murphy of Ireland.

Steffen braces for a showdown with Belinda Granger, the 2011 champion, as well as American Bree Wee, Brit Jacqui Slack and Monica Torres, the lone Phl representative in the elite division.

“The reason the Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines was brought here is to help the locals like myself to transition to being elite,” said Torres. “And after winning four straight times, I thought this is the right time to try my luck.”

For the second straight year, world renowned furniture designer Kevin Cobonpue crafted the winner’s trophy as well as the finisher’s medal.

And these pros are not the only stars in this event as celebrities like Apl.De.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas, Timex endorser Piolo Pascual, Drew Arellano, Erwan Heussaff, Mateo Guidicelli and Sen. Pia Cayetano are also joining.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom is encouraging to twit or post pictures using the #globepowersironmanph hashtag from Aug. 2-4 in this event.

The event, a 1.2 mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run race, is staking 25 berths in the IronMan World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada in the US on Sept. 8.

Aside from Cobra and Alaska Milk, the event is backed by The Philippine STAR, Globe, Timex, Kenneth Cobonpue, LBC Solutions, Suarez and Sons, Inc., Purdential Guerantee, Finisher Pix, Shangri-La Mactan, Aqua Sphere, Century Tuna, David’s Salon, DeVant, Gatorade, GU Energy Gel, InterCare, K-Swiss, Oakley, Safeguard and local governments of Cebu Province, Lapu-Lapu, Talisay, Mandaue and Cebu City.