FISH18 is faced with the daunting task of having to overhaul the 11-point lead of Parklane Tri Team if it is to clinch the title of the Cebu Loves Tri Team Championships Series which holds its final leg today at the Sugar Beach on Bantayan Island.
The three-leg series will kickoff the Bantayan Beach Games, formerly known as the Bantayan Island Sportscapade, which is now on its 12th year.
FISH18, manned by Mendel Lopez, Franz Baguio, Gerrie Calinawan, Abet Biagan, Eugene Sanchez and Chris Aldeguer, had taken the lead during the first leg in San Remegio after tallying a commanding 150 points.
However, Parklane Tri Team composed of Ralph Arche, Kristiane Lim, Alan Leith Ting, Jebb Cane, Hannah Lou Galo and Loveleinell Casidsid, overcame a sluggish performance during the first leg which saw them posting only 64 points, to snatch the top spot in the second leg in Dalaguete with 142 points for a total of 206.
FISH18 dropped to second place after only managing to add 44 points to its 150.
With just 11 points separating the two teams, today’s final leg is expected to be a virtual dogfight especially that FISH18 will be missing two of its key members—Baguio and Sanchez, who are nursing injuries.
This means that the rest of the FISH18 members will have to make sure to finish at the top of their respective categories to build up the team’s points.
Each team may have six members but only the top four points will count for the championships.
Parklane’s Arche, however, said that even if FISH18 is missing some members, this does not necessarily mean an advantage for them because they still have four members who can compete.
First up today will be the trikids competition at 9 a.m. to be followed by the super sprint then the standard distance at 11 a.m.
To be contested tomorrow is the 5K open water swim and on Sunday are the individual time trial and the ocean man. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON