Cobra 70.3 Ironman leaves Camsur for Cebu; 2012 edition attracts 400 early registrants

CEBU will soon be hosting the country’s top triathlon event--the 2012 the Cobra Ironman 70.3 on Aug. 05, 2012 at the Shangrila Mactan, Cebu.

Sunrise events, Inc. general manager Princess Galura said the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) told them to look for another venue because WTC wanted the 1.2- mile swim on an open sea instead of a man-made lake like in Camsur, which hosted the early editions of the Cobra 70.3.

“Cebu also has the logistics like the hotels and an international airport. Everything is needed by our foreign and local participants is there,” Galura told Sun.Star Cebu in a phone interview.

The registration for the 2012 edition started at noon yesterday and almost 400 signed up. The group will limit the number to 1,500 to ensure the safety of the participants.

“We want each participant to have the same experience as the others kaya we are limiting our number for their safety,” Galura said.

She added that they were also convinced to hold the event in Cebu because of the support the Cebu Province under Gov. Gwen Garcia has shown.

“If the 2012 Cobra Ironman 70.3 will run smoothly next year, we are planning to have it in Cebu in 2013 and 2014,” Galura said.

Good move

According to Noy Jopson, who topped his age group in the 2011 70.3 Ironman and was able to qualify for the Ford World Championships in Kona Hawaii, the news is a welcome development.

“It is only right to bring Ironman here in Cebu because we also have a great and solid support from our local government and maganda ang feedback,” said Jopson, who has already signed up for the 35-39 age group.

He added that this is an advantage for the participants from the Visayas and Mindanao because Cebu is located strategically. Foreign participants also won’t have to go through all the trip by land because the international airport is just a few minutes away from the venue.

“Here in Cebu, once the participants reach the international airport, they will be arriving in the venue in less than 30 minutes,” Jopson said.

Rochelle Cruz Tan, who is also a Kona qualifier, was so excited about the news and is expecting it to be one of the biggest events to hit Cebu since triathlon community started to gain momentum.

Lorhiz Echavez-Mendel, also a Kona qualifier who is pregnant, said she is still contemplating whether to join the event because she is set to give birth in March.

“This will be a big chance for Cebuanos to be able to compete in the Ironman,” Echavez-Mendel said.