Monday, March 17, 2008 Surban wins 4th time in Manunggal
TOP mountain bike racer Niño Surban of Danao City Sports Commission team came virtually uncontested to take his fourth straight win in the President Ramon Magsaysay Mountain Bike Challenge yesterday in Mt. Manunggal in Balamban.
Surban, a bronze medalist in the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last year, was unchallenged in the race.
“My closest rivals were not there and I was keeping a slower pace than last year,” Surban said.
Surban topped the expert race over Eusebio Rabanes and Loren Codera, who took the next two spots.
Surban toyed with his opponents that he finished the race longer than he did last year. Surban completed the Balamban-Manunggal race in one hour and eight minutes, but finished the same race rout in less than an hour last year.
Surban was torn between playing in Manunggal and in another race in Camotes. He opted to compete in Manunggal because he had a winning streak to protect.
The other top three winners were Java Melencio, Ben Fabroa and Rolando Pagnanawon in the masters class, Roman Fernandez, Rolly Cabaluna and Ronald Umbay in the beginners division, Jonas Ponsica, Joseph Almenia and Joseph Endurina in the veterans division.
Michael Tabasa, Allan Sancez and Julius Diez were the podium finishers in the juniors/seniors division.
The competition is organized by Balamban Vice Mayor Ace Binghay and the Balamban Mountain Wizards, in line with the annual commemoration of the death anniversary of former president Ramon Magsaysay, whose plane crashed in Manunggal. (MCB)
