Matteo Guidicelli and Piolo Pascual take time out from their hectic schedules to showcase their sporting prowess again as they head a big number of celebrities suiting up for the second Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao presented by Petron on Sunday at Azuela Cove.
Guidicelli and Pascual have been competing in the annual event the past few years as part of their healthy lifestyle and their presence has boosted each Ironman staging in terms of participation and popularity.
Joining them are Kim Atienza, Dingdong Dantes and Bubbles Paraiso with a lot more vying either in individual or team competition of the grueling 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run event.
Meanwhile, the IronGirl ushers in the Ironman weekend with 1,000 participants taking part in the 5k fun run put up by Herbalife Nutrition for 12-years-old-and-above at 5 p.m. today.
Still, focus will be on the centerpiece Elite division with Mexican Mauricio Mendez and Czech Radka Kahlefeldt bracing for a tougher, fiercer challenge from a slew of top-notch rivals out to foil their back-to-back title bids in the event organized and conducted by Sunrise Events, Inc.
The crack Aussie side, for one, is going all out to re-stamp its class in the event it used to dominate with former world champion Tim Reed leading the charge along with Sam Betten, Tim Van Berkel, David Mainwaring, Matt Lewis and Fraser Walsh.
Meanwhile, Kahlefeldt gears up for a showdown with regular Phl campaigners Caroline Steffen of Switzerland, Dimity Lee Duke, Kirra Seidel and Lisa Tyack of Australia, and Guam’s Manami Iijima in their side of the duel.
Bets from the United Arab Emirates, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Mexico, Ukraine, India, Malaysia, Qatar, the US, Belgium, Spain, Italy, New Caledonia, Singapore make up the bulk of more than 2,200 triathletes vying in the event.
The other entries are from South Africa, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, Korean, Norway, Thailand, Switzerland, Greece, Kuwait, New Zealand, Turkey, China, Guam, Mexico, Panama and Taiwan.
For details, visit the event’s website at www.ironman.com/davao703.
Backers of the event are title sponsor Alveo, an AyalaLand company, presentor Petron, venue hosts Lungsod ng Dabaw, Azuela Cove and the Enderun Tent, bike course partners Davao del Norte, Panabo, Tagum and Carmen, official courier and logistics partner 2Go Express, official swim cap TYR, official energy gel GU, official nutrition Vitargo, official eyewear Rudy Project, and Aboitiz Power, Davao Light, David’s Salon, Davao Metro Shuttle, Prudential Guarantee, and media partners ONE Sports on Cignal, the Philippine Star, Trilife, AsiaTri.com and Finisher Pix.
