Reed targets fourth 70.3 crown in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines — Former world champion Tim Reed will count on his return to form following a victory in Subic recently as he returns to the scene of his multiple triumphs as one of the top draws in the second Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championships powered by Philam Vitality on Aug. 11 in Mactan, Cebu.

Reed scored a three-peat in the premier endurance race in what has long been considered as the country’s triathlon hub, dominating the races from 2015 to 2017. Although he struggled and failed to make it four-in-row last year, the veteran Aussie titlist marked his return to the winner’s podium by ruling the Ironman 70.3 Subic last June, besting the likes of compatriot Tim Van Berkel, winner of the 2017 Ironman 70.3 Vietnam, and first-ever full Ironman Philippines winner Nick Baldwin of Seychelles.

But the 34-year-old Reed, who grew up playing basketball and rugby before shifting to triathlon and turning pro in 2010, faces a tough challenge in one of the biggest assemblies of talents in the premier men’s pro division of the grueling 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run event at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa.

Van Berkel, for one, is due for a big win following second, third and fourth-place finishes in Subic and Davao the last few years with veteran Sam Betten, Luke McKenzie, Lindsey Lawry, Mitch Robins and Justin Ghosh, all from Australia, Bahrain’s Eric Watson and New Zealand’s Terenzo Bozzone also coming into the event, organized by Sunrise Events, Inc., upbeat of their respective chances.

But if there’s one rival Reed is very much wary of, it is Mauricio Mendez, who edged Bermuda’s Tyler Butterfield to win the inaugural Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 last year months after the Mexican star topped the Ironman 70.3 Davao.

An equally exciting battle is seen in the women’s pro side with multi-titled Swiss Caroline Steffen spearheading the cast that includes perennial rival Dimity Lee Duke from Australia, Hungary’s Anna Eberhardt, Laura Wood of New Zealand, Guam’s Manami IIjima, Aussies Laura Dennis and Amanda Wilson and Frankie Sanjana of Great Britain.