Organizers of the Ironman 70.3 Davao announced the closure of registration for the Gwapa Dabawenya run on Friday, April 12, with a total of 2,000 registered entries.
Princess Galura, president and general manager of Sunrise Events Inc.- a part of the IRONMAN Group, expressed delight at the strong response, exceeding the initial target of 1,000 registrants.
She mentioned the need to open additional slots, explaining: "Ang lakas ng clamor. Nahiya ako kay mayor (There was a strong clamor, and I felt embarrassed in front of the mayor)." She was pertaining to Mayor Sebastian Duterte.
The five-kilometer fun run for females is set at 5 p.m. on August 9 at the Davao City Coastal Road Park, serving as a side event of the triathlon race on August 11.
Preparations are now in full swing for the Ironman 70.3 Davao, following a walkthrough conducted on March 19, 2024.
In a previous Facebook interview with SunStar Davao, Galura highlighted the excitement surrounding the new race course, which features an out-and-back route from the Davao City Coastal Road and extends to a section in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
The walkthrough involved representatives from local government units (LGUs) of Davao City and Sta. Cruz, as well as key agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Davao Central 911, Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Highway Patrol Group (HPG).
Galura noted that while the bike course roads are nearly perfect, attention is needed for parking, road closures, command center setup, and food park arrangements.
She underscored that the Davao edition is the only Ironman 70.3 race in the Philippines where female Age Groupers can qualify for the World Championships (WC) in Nice in September 2024, offering a unique opportunity to secure a spot in the WC. MLSA