Friday, November 30, 2007
Updates & highlights
- The 2008 TRAP Calendar is attached. Also posted at my Nutrition & Wellness website www.nutriwellworld.com/events (aka www.nutrition.ph). This website is more up-to-date since I post event info and race calendars myself. Our TRAP website www.triathlon.org.ph will also post event dates and details, after coursing through our webmaster.
- Dates of some minor races may change depending on hosts, sponsors and local organizers, but the major races and international events are already finalized with our counterparts in other Asian countries.
- The National Triathlon Championships (NTC) in February will be held at exotic Camiguin Island (off the coast of Cagayan De Oro). Race distance will be Olympic and Sprint. This event will also serve as a test race for the Asian O3 Long Distance Tri in August. Part of the event is a bike tour around the island.
- The O3 distance is 4km swim (yes, it is 4km, not 4.5), 120km bike and 30km run. Venue is Camiguin Island. I guess the triathletes will have to bike around the Island twice to complete the bike leg. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience of doing 720 degrees of cycling around one of our country's most beautiful islands.
- Thailand Triathlon is inviting Filipino age groupers to join their 3-day multi-sport event in March. Includes Aquathlon, Asian Duathlon Champs and ITU Triathlon, and Buddy Bike (bike-run by a 2-member team). Free accommodation and free land transport will be provided to all participants. You just need to get your own Manila-Bangkok and Bagkok-Chang Rai air tickets. Last March, our national athletes, coaches, Senator Pia and some age groupers joined.
- The 22nd Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon will be held in August. Twenty-one kilometers of mountain running at high altitude (aka Sky Running ®). 10 Filipinos joined this year. We are targeting to bring a much larger Filipino contingent in 2008. With budget airlines and economies of scale achieved by a big group, P15,000 or less will be enough for this event, the world's toughest mountain race. Email me if you want to join the Philippine Contingent, and get training tips, travel tips, detailed budget, etc…and join group trainings.
- You can update your 2008 Tri ID by depositing the fee at TRAP's PNB or BPI account. Only P600 if paid within December 2007. P750 from January 2008 onwards.
- All of us turn one year older on 01 January 2008. Yes, even if your birthday is in August, November or December. Your tri age = 2008 – Your year of birth. This also applies to our SuperTriKids athletes.
- The Super Kids Program is renamed “SuperTriKids” effective immediately. The SuperTriKids events and races are for children below 6 years old up to 15.
- Filipino age groupers are invited to join the ITU World Triathlon Age Group Triathlon Championships in Vancouver in June. Please advise TRAP if you wish join so we can provide you more info. Please note that as a NF (National Federation), TRAP's endorsement is required for an AG triathlete's entry to this race.
- For SuBIT 2008, we plan to adopt a new race course configuration for the age groupers, to be consistent with other ITU races. The1.5km swim will be 1 loop, and the 40-km bike course will be just 1 loop as well.
- The Palaui Island Aquathlon may include a camping, to add even more adventure to an already adventurous event.
- We are considering to convert the local Terrazas Triathlon into an international event…..our very own version of Savageman®. For those who have not yet heard about the Terrazas Tri, this is the Philippines' toughest tri race…perhaps the toughest in the whole of Asia. Perhaps we can brand it Philippine Madman® or something. It will be fun!