Friday, March 14, 2008 300 cyclists to rock Camotes Island
THREE hundred cyclists from across Visayas and Mindano will be taking part in the third Mayor Al Arquillano Camotes Island National Bike Festival, set to take off tomorrow in Camotes Island.
Technical head Joel Baring said that they received positive response from riders since the race does not ask for registration fees, offers free accommodation and stakes cash prizes to winners.
“We want to promote Camotes not just as a tourist destination but a sports destination,” said Baring.
Baring said that the racers will be treated to a sightseeing tour in Camotes. Participants will be going on a fun ride from San Francisco to Lake Danao before the race starts.
“There is a bike trail there and everyone will enjoy this relaxing trip,” Baring added.
The race, which is held in line with the fiesta celebration of the municipality of San Francisco of Camotes, also sets aside some P70,000 to be given away to the winners in the different divisions of the road bike and mountain-bike races.
The mountainbike race features the cross country and team time trial and is divided into the open, junior/seniors, masters, veterans, fat boys, beginners and golden boys categories.
Organizers set up a new race course specially-made for the race this weekend.
The 35-kilometer cross-country event will be held tomorrow.
The team time trial (TTT) for both mountain bike and road bike races will be held on Sunday morning.
Course
In the TTT, racers will tackle a 45-km. course set around the town proper. Each team must be composed of at least five riders.
Other than out-of-town riders from Samar, Leyte and Mindanao, Baring said that expected to strut his wares in the race is former Tour of Cebu winner Robert Villaber.
Villaber will be competing in both road and mountain bike races.
Southeast Asian Games mountainbike medalist Niño Surban is also expected to join.
Baring also announced that they are offering free transportation from Cebu to Danao City, where riders will be taking the ferry towards Camotes.
Baring said that racers will meet at the parking lot behind SM at 4:30 a.m. (MCB)
