A LOCAL weather official has urged participants of this year’s Regent Aguila 70.3 Ironman Philippines to be careful, especially during the swim leg of the race.
Even though the gale warning signal has been lifted in Central Visayas, moderate sea conditions are expected, especially since southwest monsoon winds or “habagat” are still present across the region, said Al Quiblat, acting chief of the weather bureau Pagasa Visayas.
Quiblat said triathletes must be cautious of strong currents and waves. He also advised organizers to put up measures in case the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Meanwhile, traffic managers in the cities of Cebu and Talisay assured motorists that roads under their jurisdiction that are being used for this year’s race will reopen to traffic at noon, Sunday,
Aug. 11, 2019.
Starting at 5 a.m., the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) will close the entire stretch of the Sergio Osmeña Blvd. at the North Reclamation Area towards the Cebu South Coastal Road to make way for the bike leg of the race.
Ricardo Barandog, CCTO executive director, said the race route will be passable once the last biker returns to
Lapu-Lapu City.
“There will be a marshal that will monitor triathletes that are still in the bike leg. If they are still there until the cut-off time of 11:40, they will have to be removed in order to give time to traffic managers to clear the route for the public,” said Jonathan Tumulak, head of the City of Talisay-Traffic Operations Development Authority.
The bike leg will extend to the Talisay City Hall before returning to Lapu-Lapu City.
But Tumulak said they will closely coordinate with the CCTO before they open their side of the coastal highway to motorists.
More than 2,000 triathletes from 57 countries will be participating in this year’s race.
The half-Ironman race, which covers a 1.9-kilometer swim, 90K bike and 21K run, will start at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa.
It will cover Cebu’s four key cities—Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay.
Triathletes will start off with a swim at the resort’s beach. The bike leg will start at the Mactan Newtown going out to Mandaue City, Cebu City and Talisay City before looping back. Racers will cap off the event with a run starting in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City going to the finish line inside the resort. (JKV, PAC, RSC)