Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Carrera Habagat blasts off today in Surigao
ALL is set for this year’s edition of the Carrera Habagat 2007 Siargao Bucas Grande, which starts today at the Surigao City hall.
Fourteen teams will be getting a taste of the four-day non-stop adventure racing that has become known all over Asia for being one of the toughest adventure races there is.
Set to lead the carnage is Team Kalit, which is now divided into two groups—Pepsi Kalit and Plantation Bay Kalit.
Team Kalit, last year’s winner, finished the four-day race in just two days, after opting to continue to race, while all the others were resting during the nights.
Another team to watch out for is Iligan Pride Gazul, who had been one of the strongest challengers of the race and TNF Avaya. Also providing attraction is the team of mountain racer Merlita Arias, who teams up with foreign nationals in this new endeavor.
Other teams include Davao, Ibaan, Iligan, Iloilo, Conquer, Bayantel, Nomad 420, Dumaguete, Simon, Blood Red, Katilingban Ilonggo Kalinga Kalikasan Mountaineers Inc., TNF, KIKKM and UTA among others.
Skills
Racers’ abilities to navigate will be put to test as they have to find their way around the two islands known as the surfing capital of the country.
As the organizers said, one of their purposes for holding such event is to showcase unheralded islands in the country that pose great potential for tourism, thus the decision to include Bucas Grande, an islet off Surigao, which reportedly bears a striking resemblance to the Rock Islands of Palau.
Aside from navigating, racers will need their expertise in rope handling, trekking, mountain biking, swimming, orienteering and paddling. They also need to get past all 40 control points plotted all over the race course before making it to the finish line.
The race will have its cutoff on Friday, which will be capped by the awarding ceremonies at the Cabuntog, General Luna. (MCB)
