All bases covered – organizers

Race organizer Sunrise Events Inc. (SEI) said necessary adjustments have already been made to come up with a better hosting of the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines.

One adjustment was to replace a race director into a race team to be headed by Neville Manaois to oversee the technical operations of the race.

Princess Galura said the rest of the team will be made up of people from Manila and Cebu to make sure that all aspects of the race will be covered.

The shift to a race team lessens the chances of miscommunication that would possibly lead to errors.

The race route has also been set and prepared. According to Galura, the race will follow the same route as last year except in the 1.9-kilometer swimming segment of the half IronMan, which has been set in reverse direction compared to that of last year.

For this year, from the waters fronting Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, participants will go right towards Portofino then turn around and swim the whole length from Portofino towards Movenpick then turn around again and head back to Shangri-La for the exit to the bike transition.

SEI president and CEO Wilfred Steven Uytengsu said they decided to change the direction because they wanted to provide the participants an easier path towards the bike transition area, which is situated in the parking lot of Shangri-La.

In the bike route, one of the participants’ complaints was the uneven paving of the road. Galura said that they have done their best to let the host cities know of these concerns.

The local government units and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have already started working on the roads and have assured SEI that everything will be ready before race day.

Galura said that they also plan to supply the participants with more water and dippers in the 21-k run segment of the race. Dippers are people who will douse the runners with water to refresh them.

The lack of water to drink was also one of the complaints of participants in last year’s race.

Lapu-Lapu City has confirmed that they will be fielding 140 volunteers to man six water stations strategically placed within the run race route. /correspondent Mars G. Alison