Subic Freeport wins ‘Best Sports Tourism Destination in Asia’ award

This premier free port reaped the highest recognition as Best Sports Tourism Destination of the Year during the Third Sports Industries Awards and Conference Asia (SPIA Asia) held in Bangkok, Thailand on November 7.

With the tourism theme “Funtastic Subic Bay”, Subic bagged the gold award in the sports destination category, followed by “Visit Victoria” of Australia which received silver, and “Amazing Thailand” which won bronze.

Aside from this prestigious award, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) bagged the silver for Best Sponsorship of a Sport, Team or Event (USD$250,000), which was one of the 17 international awards given in the occasion.

The awards were received by SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator Ramon Agregado, SBMA tourism manager Jem Camba, and tourism officer Raquel Junio during the awards ceremony held at the Centara World Convention Center in Bangkok.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma said the award “validates efforts by the agency and the whole Subic Freeport community to elevate the local tourism industry and draw more visitors via sports events.”

“It also speaks well of the natural drawing power of Subic’s unspoiled environment combined with modern amenities that visitors find very appealing,” Eisma added.

Camba, meanwhile, said the award stands as an accomplishment for “Team Subic Bay” because Subic stakeholders gave their full support and best service for every sporting event held in the Freeport.

She also expressed gratitude to the Department of Tourism in Region 3 (DoT-3) and DoT-3 Dir. Ronnie Tiotuico for being supportive of Subic’s efforts to become the sporting capital of the Philippines.

Camba also explained that the SBMA received the Best Sponsorship recognition for sponsoring triathlon events here in 2014 to 2016.

Industry records show that the Subic Bay Freeport earned a ranking of 85.80 percent in the 2015 Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship (APAC) overall satisfaction scores. The race ranking was just .09 percent shy of the global standard’s 85.89 percent and pushed Subic’s ranking above the Asia-Pacific standard of 83.95 percent.

The 2015 Ironman 70.3 APAC overall satisfaction scores placed Subic, along with Cairns in Queensland, Australia, at number six among the best triathlon sites in the Asia Pacific Championship series.

The list was topped in 2016 by Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia with a satisfaction rating of 90.20 percent. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator Ramon Agregado (left), Tourism Manager Jem Camba (2nd left) and Tourism officer Raquel Junio (right) pose with SPIA Asia Judge Cynthia Carreon after receiving two prestigious awards: gold for Best Sports Tourism Destination in Asia, and silver for Best Sponsorship of a Sport, Team or Event (USD$250,000).

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National Duathlon meet slated Nov. 12 in Subic

THE stage is set for the National Duathlon Championships 2017 on Nov. 12 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, the first event in the long selection process that will determine the members of the national team.

Organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines in partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, the race will have a standard distance course of 10K run, 40K biking and 5K run for the elite and age group participants.

The sprint distance course of 5K run, 20K bike and 2.5K run is for participants aged 16 to 19 and 20-and older.

Remy Field in Subic will serve as the main venue while the bike legs will cover stretches of Rizal Ave., Argonaut Highway and the National Container Terminal road.

At stake in the event sponsored by SBMA Tourism Department, Philippine Sports Commission, Standard Insurance, Gatorade and Asian Center for Insulation are medals as well as gift packs for the Top three male and female age-group winners and Top three male and female winners for Sprint 16-19 and 20-above categories.

Also up for grabs are slots into the Developmental Pool of the Philippine Team. (Malaya Business Insight)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/sports/national-duathlon-meet-slated-nov-12-subic

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PHL’s first full-distance Ironman event to happen in Subic Bay

It’s official! Ironman’s full distance triathlon is happening here in Subic Bay.

The Century Tuna IRONMAN Philippines triathlon, the country’s first-ever full distance IRONMAN race, will take place here in June next year in celebration of the decade-long presence in the Philippines of the popular endurance race.

The full distance Ironman race will be a special edition for one year only to mark the tenth anniversary since the first IRONMAN 70.3 event took place in Camarines Sur in 2009, said Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, founder of Sunrise Events, which owns and organizes IRONMAN races in the country.

The event was jointly announced the other day in Manila and in Tampa, Florida as the latest addition to the IRONMAN series that has grown to become a global sensation with more than 200 events across 50 countries.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator and chief executive officer Wilma T. Eisma said that the SBMA takes pride in the fact that the Subic Bay Freeport has become a favorite destination for races and sports events that require a combination of superb natural environment, challenging but beautiful courses and modern facilities for both the players and their families.

Organizers said that next year’s Century Tuna IRONMAN Philippines will aim to build upon the successes of the Century Tuna IRONMAN 70.3 Subic Bay and provide athletes with a challenging, yet beautiful course to tackle.

For the full distance race, athletes will begin their IRONMAN journey with a one-loop, 3.8-km swim in the calm, pristine waters of Triboa Bay, starting and finishing at ACEA Resort, which will also play host to the first of the split transition areas.

Once onto their bikes, athletes will head out of Subic and onto the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) for a fast and flat two-loop, 180-km ride, which will bring riders back into transition 2 at the Remy Field here.

Then the 42.2-km, two-loop marathon run will be the last leg, taking the participants along some of the best coastal views that Subic has to offer. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

A scene from the Century Tuna IRONMAN held in March this year at the Subic Bay Freeport (photo from http://ap.ironman.com)

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Betten beats ’em all again for 3-peat in Regent 5150

Subic Bay Freeport - Sam Betten came through with a hot performance on a cold, rainy Sunday to complete a golden treble in the Regent 5150 Triathlon here.

Pouncing on the relatively cooler conditions on a turf he’s familiar with, Betten left his challengers playing catch-up throughout the 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run and reached home unmolested for his milestone three-peat.

Sam Betten winning his third Regent 5i50 title (photo from Regent 5i50 Facebook page)

Betten covered the wet course in 1:55:58, checking in nearly five minutes ahead of compatriot Mitch Robins (2:00:27), who settled for No 2 again. American Iain Alexandrinis (2:01:46) took third.

“I’ve never won a race three times in a row and to come here and do that, it’s pretty amazing,” said Betten, getting a loving hug from girlfriend Rebecca Ohlwein after crossing the finish line.

The 6-foot-4 Betten emerged from the waters of Acea Beach after 19 minutes, 57 seconds with Robins (21:30) and Alexandrinis (21:34) on his wake. Notwithstanding the rains that made the roads slippery, the Aussie out-pedaled his rivals and even added two minutes to his lead as they headed into the culminating run towards Remy Field.

“I felt really good out there. The heat wasn’t too bad so I didn’t have to push quite hard (than usual), which was really advantageous to me. If it were really, really hot, it would have been a different story,” said Betten, who’s developed a fondness for Subic, where he’s raced five times overall.

“Subic Bay is one of my favorite places in the world to come race in. I was lucky this year I was able to bring my girlfriend along to watch the race and enjoy Subic. For me, this is such a great triathlon location and it’s a dream come true to be able to dominate for three years in a row,” he said. (Olmin Leyba, Philippine Star)

Read more: http://www.philstar.com/sports/2017/06/05/1706859/betten-beats-em-all-again-3-peat-regent-5150

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Huge field gears up for Regent 5150 in Subic Bay

Organizers of the Regent 5150 Triathlon brace for a record field clashing for top honors in the local version of the world’s largest Olympic distance triathlon series, which stages its third edition on June 4 in Subic Bay.

Six hundred forty entries have so far entered in the main event while around 300 have registered for the side event Sunrise Sprint, a short distance race series put up by the organizing Sunrise Events, Inc. last year, with the roster expected to swell 10 days before the event.

For details and listup, visit regent.5150philippines.com.

Sam Betten headlines the elite field in the men’s pro division with the top 6-4 Australian triathlete gunning for a three-peat against the likes of fellow Aussies and veterans Ben Allen, the 2016 Australian ITU Cross Triathlon champion and a former XTERRA As-Pac titlist, Mitch Robins and Dan Brown.

American Iain Alexandridis, a consistent top 10 Ironman 70.3 finisher, is also in the hunt in the 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run event sponsoored by the country’s leading snack manufacturing company.

Focus will also be on the women’s pro side with veteran campaigner and be-medalled triathlete Dimity-Lee Duke, also of Australia, Hungarian Anna Eberhardt, and Kerry Mulholland and Annelies Jeffries, also both from Down Under, disputing the crown won by absentee Amelia Watkinson of New Zealand last year.

The event will also feature the Alaska Ironkids Philippines, featuring the country’s future triathlon stars on June 3 at the WOW Recreation and Activity Center/Remy Field.

Inspired by its successful inaugural last year, the Sunrise Sprint, a 750m swim, a 20k bike and a 5k run, will again be held for beginners wanting to immerse themselves into triathlon racing, a tri warrior who has been off the circuit and out to make a comeback or simply a triathlon enthusiast.

Backers of the event are Dept. of Tourism Region 3 and Tourism Promotions Board as presentors, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority as host venue and Acea Subic Bay as host hotel, along with 2GO Express, Powerade and Wilkins Pure, TYR, Hoka One, Active Network, Philippine Star, Trilife, AsiaTRI.com, Finisher Pix, HyperHD on Cignal, AlcoPlus, Autohub, Cetaphil, Daylong, Devant, Omega, PLDT Subictel, Sanicare, Storck, Garmin, Alaska, David’s Salon, GU, Intercare, Pioneer Insurance and Sante Barley, the Lighthouse Marina Hotel, Court Meridian, Subic International Hotel and Active Network.

PHOTO:
Aussie triathlete Sam Betten flashes the No. 1 sign as he celebrates after crossing the finish line at the Remy Field during last year's 5150 triathlon held at Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Japan, HK split honors in Subic Int'l triathlon

Asian triathlon heavyweights Japan and Hong Kong split top honors in the open elite division Sunday in the NTT-ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Japanese Ryosuke Maeda, ranked in the Top 10 back home, ruled the men’s race in 1:53.59 while HK bet Yan Yin Hilda Choi won the distaff side in 2:10.02.

Despite difficulties coping with the heat and humidity, Maeda said he expected to win the race that started at the ACEA beach resort and ended at the oval track of Remy Field.

Choi, on the other hand, said: “It was a nice race, good swim and I had a good bike pack with Claire setting the pace which helped us a lot.”

The HK lass was referring to Claire Adorna who set the pace in swimming and cycling before fading to eighth place.

Asian Triathlon Confederation president Justin Park and Legazpi Mayor Noel Rosal were on hand to award the trophies to the winners of the event organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Korean Ji Hwan Kim finished second behind Maedan with a time of 1: 54.44 while another Japanese, Kotaro Watanabe, took third place in 1:55.59.

Rounding out the top five finishers were Korean Seung Hun Seo (1: 56.39) and Japanese Genta Uchida (1:56.45).

John Chicano was the best-placed Filipino followed by Mark Hosana and 2015 Southeast Asian Games champion Nikko Huelgas. All three, however, failed to land in the Top 10.

In the women’s race, Kim Mangrobang finished fifth behind four foreigners. (Manila Bulletin)

http://sports.mb.com.ph/2017/05/01/japan-hk-split-honors/

Wakako Tsuchida of Japan reaches the finish line in the women's wheelchair category of the Asian Paratriathlon Championship that started and finished at the ACEA beach resort inside the Subic Bay Freeport last Saturday afternoon (https://www.facebook.com/greentriph/).

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Subic hosts ParaTriathlon Asian meet

Asia’s best paratriathletes converge on April 29 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone for the ASTC ParaTriathlon Asian Championships 2017.

Organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) under the supervision of technical officials of the ITU and the Asian Triathlon Confederation (ASTC), the event has attracted close to 50 participants from Japan, Korea, Singapore, Macau, Malaysia, and Kygyzstan.

The Philippines will be led by Sixto Ducay and the blind siblings Jerome and Joshua Nelmida.

The technical delegate in the race is Koji Koganezawa while Daniel Sng of Singapore is the referee.

The race, supported by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Subic Travelers Hotel, ASTC, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, and Gatorade, will start at the ACEA Beach Resort for the 750 meter swim followed by 18 kilometer biking reaching up to Argonaut Highway and 5 kilometers running along San Bernardo Road finishing near ACEA.

At stake for the Top 3 winners of the paratriathlon categories of PT1, PT2, PT3, PT4 and PT5 are qualifying points to the World ParaTriathlon Championships, specially designed medals and winners’ t-shirts. The awarding ceremony will take place at 5PM at the finish line area and will be graced by Asian Triathlon Confederation president Justin Park and PHILSPADA president Mike Barredo (Manila Bulletin)

http://sports.mb.com.ph/2017/04/03/subic-hosts-paratriathlon-asian-meet/

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24th Subic Bay Int'l Triathlon lures record field

Nostalgia has gripped the country’s triathlon community in the run-up to the NTT ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon slated at Subic Bay Freeport Zone on April 29 and 30.

With its hash tag #balikSubit, the country’s premier standard triathlon celebrating its 24th edition (longest running event in Subic Bay) has already over 800 entries in its registry book.

All out to spoil the Filipino triathletes’ trip are their counterparts from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Korea, India, Syria, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Uzbekistan and Singapore.

Top finishing elite athletes earn points towards qualifying for the ITU World Triathlon Championships as SUBIT is a leg of the Asia Cup series under the aegis of Asian Triathlon Confederation.

SUBIT also serves as big test for the seven Filipino SEA Games hopefuls before the Asian Triathlon Championships in July. (Philippines copped the two gold medals staked in the last SEA Games.)

List-up for the SUBIT with SBMA, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Finis, Century Tuna, Philippine Star, Gatorade, Standard Insurance, Cablelink, The Lighthouse Marina Resort and ACEA Subic Bay as major sponsors ends on April 1.

Ramon Marchan, president of the organizing Triathlon Association of the Philippines, said, “The response to our campaign to return to the root of international triathlons in the Philippines is, indeed, heartwarming that we have to deny entries three weeks before SUBIT.”

Coming in as minor sponsors are Subictel, Foton, PTT, Moonbay Marina The Villas and Asian Center for Insulation, Subic Bay Traveler’s Hotel is the official hotel; Subic Holiday Villas and Subic International Hotel are partner hotels.

Complementing the press and broadcast coverage are media partners: Raceday Triathlon, SBR.ph, Trilife Magazine and AsiaTRI.com.

Interested parties may visit TRAP’s website: www.triathlon.org.ph. or Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil/ and https://www.facebook.com/ITUSubit/.

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Wild stages epic comeback to win Subic Ironman race

SUBIC BAY - For the second straight year, Australian three-time world champion Crowie Alexander got the better of Tim Reed in the Century Tuna 70.3 Ironman race.

However, none of that mattered here Sunday, as a wild finish stripped Alexander of his title.

Switzerland's Ruedi Wild set up an epic comeback in the final third of the race to win the 2017 edition of the Century Tuna-sponsored event.

Behind by almost two minutes at the end of the 90-kilometer bicycle course, the Swiss Olympian pushed through in the last 21-kilometer run, crossing the finish line after 3 hours, 48 minutes, and 24 seconds.

It was 33 seconds better than Alexander's 3-hour, 48-minute, and 57-second effort as the Aussie's bid for back-to-back titles came to a not so pleasant end.

Reed, second in 2016 to Alexander, dropped to third after crossing the finish line less than two minutes after Wild. His official time was 3 hours, 50 minutes, and 17 seconds.

Sven Riederer and Kevin Collington came in seven seconds apart to finish fourth and fifth respectively.

In women's pro, Czech Republic's Radka Kahlefeldt took her revenge on 2016 champion Caroline Steffen to win the title.

Just like Wild, last year's runner up pulled away in the run portion of the three-part race before finishing with the final time of 4 hours, 22 minutes, and 13 seconds. Steffen came in over three minutes later to clock in at 4 hours, 25 minutes, and 55 seconds.

Australia's Dimity Lee Duke kept her spot at third after crossing the finish line after 4 hours, 41 minutes, and 57 seconds.

The third 70.3 Ironman race in Subic started early Sunday morning with the swimming portion taking off at ACEA Beach. Triathletes then had to go through SCTEXT all the way to Floridablanca, Pampanga for the bike course before coming back to Subic for the finish. (Paul Lintag, ABS-CBN Sports)

PHOTOS:
[1] Swiss national Ruedi Wild celebrates after crossing the finish line during the CT Ironman 70.3 triathlon held in Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[2] WINNERS. Triathlon men's elite champ Ruedi Wild (center), shares the podium with runner-ups Alexander Craig (left) and Tim Reed after crossing the finish line during the 2017 Ironman 70.3 triathlon held in Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)


http://sports.abs-cbn.com/generalsports/news/2017/03/12/wild-stages-epic-comeback-win-subic-ironman-race-23142

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Ironkids, Superbods usher in Ironman weekend in Subic Bay

THE Alaska IronKids Triathlon provided the fitting run-up to the Century Tuna Ironman 70.3 as kids aged 6-to-14 slugged it out in their own version of the event—the Alaska IronKids Triathlon Saturday in Subic Bay.

14-year-old phenom Juan Baniqued has established himself as one of the Philippines' future stars in triathlon, taking care of business at the Remy field here after winning the Alaska Ironkids race, his second straight in the 13-14 age category for boys.

In the Girls 13-14 category Karen Manayon dominated the field, finishing the three-part race in 48 minutes and 27 seconds, more than a full three-minute advantage from her next competition.

In other results, Moira Frances Erediano topped the Girls 11-12 category after finishing the course in 34 minutes and 50 seconds. Alison Noble and Natzsa Lozada came in second and third respectively.

For the Boys 11-12, Zedrick James Borja won first after crossing the finish line in 33 minutes and 18 seconds, beating out Glendwyn Mariscotes and Daniel Nazarro.

Kirra Ellis won the Girls 9-10 and Michael Gabriel Lozada won the same age group in the Boys division. Over at the Girls 6-8, Kyle Enialle Toledana finished first while Gabriel Gaw won the Boys 6-8.

The Alaska Ironkids-Subic serves as the kickoff of a three-stage circuit, that includes two aquathlon on April 9 at the Manila Polo Club and June 3, also in Subic, and which culminates in the Alaska IronKids Triathlon in Mactan, Cebu in August.

All category winners are given free entry to the Cebu IronKids with free flights and accommodations, all courtesy of Alaska.

Produced and organized by Sunrise Events, Inc. and sponsored by Alaska Milk Corp., the Alaska IronKids is the junior version of the Ironman. It is also held to promote a well-balanced lifestyle for kids and at the same time serving as a perfect venue for family bonding.

Also on tap was the Century Tuna Superbods: The Underpants Run, providing the sizzler of an appetizer to the much-awaited Ironman 70.3 tomorrow (Sunday).

The side-event features the country’s Superbods finalists, running alongside the fancied names of the sport. It started 9:30 a.m. at the Subic Yacht Club and pass through a scenic route along the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Inspired by the tradition at Kona, home of the renowned Ironman World Championship, Century Tuna is staging Superbods Underpants Run for the third straight year. It is also open to all participants of this year’s Ironman 70.3 as part of Century Tuna’s commitment to promote a fun local tradition that also gives back to the community.

Meanwhile, the Century Tuna Iron 70.3 Subic Bay, presented by Century Bangus, Department of Tourism and Tourism Promotions Board and organized and produced by Sunrise Events, Inc., will feature a stellar field, led by defending champions Craig Alexander of Australia and Swiss Caroline Steffen.

The premier triathlon event is also sponsored by 2Go Express (official courier and logistics partner), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (venue partner), Acea Subic Bay (host hotel), Manila North Tollways Corp. (bike course partner), Gatorade (official sports drink), Saucony (official footwear and apparel partner) and TYR (official swim cap partner).

It is also backed by media partners The Philippine Star, Hyper HD on Cignal, TriLife, Asiatri.com and Finisher Pix and supported by Alaska, David’s Salon, GU Energy Gels, Intercare, Prudential Guarantee, Premier Water and Santé Barley and backed by marketing sponsors AlcoPlus, Cetaphil, Daylong, Devant, Froehlich Tours, Inc., Goldilocks, Omega Pro Pain Killer, PLDT Subictel, Regent Foods, Sanicare and Storck.

PHOTOS:

[1] Juan Baniqued celebrates another win in the Alaska Ironkids, his second straight in the 13-14 age group.(ABS-CBN Sports)

[2] Participants dash as they heed the starting horn during the Century Tuna Superbods: The Underpants Run, a prelude activity for the two-day fun and action-filled Century Tuna Ironman 70.3 in Subic Bay Freeport zone. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://sports.abs-cbn.com/generalsports/news/2017/03/11/14-year-old-phenom-repeats-ironkids-champ-23088

http://www.thestandard.com.ph/sports/active/231440/ironkids-superbods-usher-in-ironman-weekend.html

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‘Superbods’ in Ironman 70.3 returns to Subic Bay

The Century Tuna Superbods: The Underpants Run returns to SUBIC BAY for its THIRD year on March 11, 2017.

Inspired by the tradition at Kona, home of the renowned Ironman World Championship, Century Tuna continues with its own local tradition with the Superbods Underpants Run that it started in 2015 as a pre-race activity for the Century Tuna Ironman 70.3

This year, Century Tuna opens its extra fun pre-race tradition to EVERYONE and registration is for FREE. Individual runners can get the chance to win up to Php 15,000, while teams of four can win up to Php 20,000. Come in inspired costumes and you could bring home up to Php 15,000 or Php 20,000 if you’re a group.

Interested to join Century Tuna Superbods: The Underpants Run can register for free at the Century Tuna Booth at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) on March 10 or right before the race at the Subic Bay Yacht Club.

Kick off starts at 9:30 AM on March 11 at the Subic Bay Yacht Club and will take participants through a scenic route along the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Meanwhile, some of the world’s top-ranked and rising Ironmen brace for the CT Ironman 70.3 on March 12, also in Subic, with defending male champion Craig Alexander eyeing a second straight championship in the 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run event organized and produced by Sunrise Events, Inc.

But Alexander faces a formidable set of rivals, headed by former 2015 champion Tim Reed, along with Tin Van Berkel, Dan Brown, David Mainwaring and Sam Betten of Australia.

https://www.facebook.com/IM703Subic/

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Perpetual outlasts Lyceum for first NCAA beach volleyball title in Subic

Brothers Relan and Rey Taneo, Jr. of Perpetual Help went to the 92nd NCAA beach volleyball in Subic Bay seeking to make up from their heartbreaking defeat to St. Benilde in the finals of indoor volleyball early in the month.

They went home redeemed.

Showing nerves of steel, the Taneos needed an extra finals game and a nail-biting 21-16, 20-22, 17-15 win over Lyceum of the Philippines University's Jhonel Badua and Joeward Presnede to clinch their very first men's beach volley title at the Moon Bay Marina Area in SBMA over the weekend.

Nevermind that they blew a twice-to-beat advantage they gained for sweeping the elimination round in nine games or taking the opening set to start their championship series and then dropping the next two to allow LPU to steal the match, 15-21, 21-16, 15-13, and force a do-or-die game.

All the Taneos want is the title, nothing more, nothing less.

"We just want to get the championship whether or its a sweep or not," said Rey, Jr. in Filipino.

When it was over, the Taneos were relieved to finally erase the ghost of last year when they lost to last season's champion Mapua in a showdown the former were heavily favored to win.

It also came a soothing balm for Perpetual Help's failure to claim the indoor volley crown.

"The team and the school are redeemed in so many ways after what happened last year in this event and in indoor volleyball this year," said Relan. "Somehow, the pain of those losses are gone now."
(Philippine Star)

PHOTO:
Taneo brothers of the University of Perpetual Help bagged their first NCAA beach volley crown after defeating Lyceum of the Philippines University's Jhonel Badua and Joeward Presnede 21-16, 20-22, 17-15 at the Moon Bay Marina Area in SBMA over the weekend.

http://www.philstar.com/sports/2017/02/27/1676262/perpetual-outlasts-lyceum-first-ncaa-beach-volleyball-title

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Aeta "warriors" show marksmanship in sports fest

Subic Bay Freeport -- More than 100 “warriors” from six Aeta tribes trooped to a “battleground” in Hermosa, Bataan, to join this year’s "Haribol Katutubo," a sports festival using indigenous weapons.

Wearing only G-strings, locally known as bahag, the all-male participants arrived in batches from the Aeta tribal community in Iram, Old Cabalan, New Cabalan and Mampueng in Olongapo City; Tribong Ayta in Angeles City, and Pastolan in Hermosa, Bataan, the host tribe.

Col. Jeff Tamayo, president of the National College Athletic Association (NCAA), said the event is similar to the World Indigenous Games, the indigenous peoples’ sports festival held in Brazil last year.

Tamayo said aside from Pastolan, there will also be other Haribol Katutubo, Protecting the Natural Heritage games to be held in other areas.

Tamayo explained that the primary purpose of holding the event is to gather all the tribal groups in an event like this, the Haribol Katutubo, so that the young generations could blend with the adults for them to see their natural traditions.

“They, the young and the adults in the tribes, could have a common area to transfer the heritage from the adults, such as the protection of the forests,” he said.

Tamayo cited the need for the young generations to see what their ancestors did to protect the traditional heritage.

Included in the sportsfest are bow and arrow competitions that require the participant to hit the target in different distances while, standing, sitting, squatting; while standing bull’s eye. on the branch of a tree, and while running. There are also competitions on blowgun, spear throwing.

Winners from the competition will also join in UP Diliman in Quezon City with participants from indigenous communities from the North Luzon and other parts of the country. This is in preparation for the WIG to be held this year in Colombia.

When people saw a man carrying a bow and arrow, the impression is aggressiveness. However, for me, bow and arrow is part of a culture.

When you enable an Ayta boy to participate this kind of sports, he is not only joining the game but also learning what his ancestors did to hunt for food. Then we, also taking care of those heritage,” Tamayo explained. (Ruben Veloria, Peoples Tonight)

PHOTO:
Aeta tribesmen show their skill in using the bow and arrow as they compete in the tribal games held at the Pastolan Aeta village in Hermosa, Bataan Saturday (Feb. 25). Aeta tribes from Zambales, Bataan and Olongapo took part in the games which aim to promote camaraderie and the preservation of their culture. The project is sponsored by the National College Athletics Association, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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NCAA kicks off beach volleyball tourney in Subic

The NCAA Season 92 Beach Volleyball Tournament kicked off on Wednesday inside this premier Freeport making it one of the most sought after beach sports venue in the country.

According to the organizers of the event, this is the second time that they are holding the beach volleyball tournament here just to give “due diligence” to the sport, stating that where else would they hold a beach volleyball tourney aside from Subic Freeport which is known for its lush beaches.

“The tournament is geared towards the promotion of the sport in the country, but it also promotes the area where the tournament is held. We want people to know that the tournament and the tourism aspect of the sport go hand in hand,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Tourism Manager Jem Camba said.

Aside from making the area a staple for the beach volleyball tournament in the country, organizers have also introduced a new system that would reduce the weather factor that will affect the sport here. According to them, they have introduced a modular bleacher system that is easily built and stored, adding that it also blocks the wind that has been a bane of the game.

“These bleachers will hamper the gusts of wind that obstruct a great game of volleyball. These bleachers will also be able to seat the spectators so they can see the game,” they said.

The tournament also showcases star athletes such as San Sebastian’s Grethcel Soltones and Alyssa Eroa, San Beda’s Viray twins Maria Jeziela and Maria Nieza, Mapua’s Shaira Mhae Hermano, Kimberly Joy Luzon and Danielle Marie Ramiro.

San Sebastian won the tournament last year, besting San Beda with a 14-21, 21-9, 15-6 score in the finals match. Other star athletes from indoor volleyball like Arellano University’s Joviely Prado, Regine Arocha and Jenicalynne Tan will also showcase their talents.

The men’s category also features last year’s winners Rey Arth Andaya, Sam Damian and Alfredo Pagulong of Mapua. They will be up against JRU's Ronaldo Dampitan, Jr., Jethro Ferwelo and John Michael Flor, Letran's Christopher Cistina, Bobby Gatdula and Zecharia Sison and San Sebastian's Christian Calonia, Jahir Ebrahim and James Christian Eugenio.

With summer approaching the horizon, this premier Freeport is geared to tackle any summer sports activities. Officials of the SBMA are positive that the influx of tourists will double in the coming summer months. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
MARIA Jeziela and Maria Nieza Viray of San Beda came up with twin wins on Thursday in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament in Subic. The Viray twins bested St. Benilde's Ma. Angela Enginco and Ma. Kaila Selena Mendoza, 21-11, 25-23 then scored a 21-6, 21-15 victory over Mapua's Shaira Mahe Hermano and Kimberly Joy Luzon. (Spin.Ph)

http://www.spin.ph/volleyball/news/jeziela-viray-nieza-viray-san-beda-ncaa-volleyball-relan-rey-taneo-perpetual-help-emilio-aguinaldo-college

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‘Centennial III’ reigns in Subic to Boracay race

Boracay — For the first time, TP 52 Davidson Centennial III of Judes Echauz trounced top contender and veteran campaigner Jelik, skippered by Hong Kong’s steel magnate Frank Pong to win the 8th Standard Insurance Subic Bay to Boracay Race (SBBR) started at the Freeport last Saturday noon.

Jun Avecilla, chairman of the organizing committee, announced that Centennial III, with all Filipino-crew arrived in this pristine white beach resort with 11:33:14 nosing out Jelik with 11:50: 02 or difference of 16: 48.

TP 52 Centennial III (center) bags the 8th Standard Insurance Subic to Boracay Race

“This is the first that Centennial III beats Jelik on the line in the SBBR since the competition started seven years ago,” according to Avecilla adding that Centennial III placing second to Jelik for the past five years.

Geoff Hill’s Smith 72 Customs Atipodes placed third with12: 02: 46 in annual regatta grand prix sanctioned by the Philippine Sailing Association the Asian Yachting Grand Prix and fully backed by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Watercraft Venture Corp., the Lighthouse Marina Resort and Subic Sailing Club.

Other local contenders in the Racing Class I (RCI) are Excel 53 Karakoa helmed by businessman Ray Ordoveza and regular campaigner Black Baza captained by Anthony Root and Steve Manning, wherein the organizers are computer their time of arrival as of press time.

From Subic, the race will pass through the Bataan Peninsula, Batangas beaches, Mindoro, Tablas and Carabao Island in Romblon before reaching the tip of Boracay Island.

However, Scallywag, the highly fancied 100-footer of Malaysian-born Seng Huang Leng, failed to erase their previous time record arriving 9:26:31, according to Avecilla.

Scallywag is the former Ragamuffin 100, the same boat that holds the record in the Subic Bay to Boracay Race in 14 hours, 23 minutes, 17 seconds set in 2015.

The four-day regatta, a combination of point-to-point and windward/leeward courses, is part of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix season. Captain Tom Sheppard is the main judge.

The Boracay Regatta Cup also offers precious points for the coveted Asian Yachting Skipper and Yacht of the Year awards.

Overall winners in each three class of the combined Subic Bay to Boracay Race and the Boracay Cup Regatta series will bring home the impressive hand crafted solid brass trophy replicas by Fernando Cacnio, a multiawarded Filipino visual artist.

The Philippine Coast Guard will provide escorts for the participants during the race for safety and security. (BusinessMirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/centennial-iii-reigns-in-subic-to-boracay-race/

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Subic to Boracay race unfolds

All eyes were on reigning overall champion Centennial III as the eighth Standard Insurance Subic Bay to Boracay Race and the Boracay Cup Regatta flagged off in the waters off the world-class Subic Sailing Club Saturday (Feb 18).

Skippered by Philippine Sailing Association president Judes Echauz, the 52-foot Centennial III is out to make it three in a row as the event’s overall champion.

The Subic Centennial III sails off from Subic Bay

But Centennial III, a first-generation TP52-class yacht that was built in 2002, is expected to be crowded at the top by perennial rival Jelik of Hong Kong magnate Frank Pong, and Scallywag, the highly fancied 100-footer of Malaysian-born billionaire Seng Huang Leng.

Scallywag is the former Ragamuffin 100, the same boat that holds the record in the Subic Bay to Boracay Race in 14 hours, 23 minutes, 17 seconds set in 2015.

Sailboats over the waters of Subic Bay

While Scallywag is tipped to break the existing record, Centennial III is expected to finish not too far behind. Last year, Centennial III finished second to Jelik in the SBBR but held on in Boracay by winning three of the six races.

The three top finishes in the famous island paradise and a decision by the jury to overturn a late protest by Freefire enabled Centennial III to retain the overall crown.

“I hope we can do it again. It will be three straight if ever,” said the 69-year-old Echauz.

Around 15 yachts from Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines will see action in this annual event beginning today and ending on Feb. 24 in Boracay.

The event is fully supported by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Watercraft Venture Corp., the Lighthouse Marina Resort and Subic Sailing Club. (Abac Cordero, Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/sports/2017/02/18/1673469/subic-boracay-race-unfolds

More photos courtesy of SAGS Subic Sailing

Opening party on the eve of the Regatta at the Subic Lighthouse Marina

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Huge field gears up for CT Ironman 70.3 in Subic

Over 800 athletes, including 22 professionals, make up the early roster in the 2017 Century Tuna Ironman 70.3, which fires off next month in Subic Bay.

Organizers expect the international field to hit over 1,000, when the third staging of the premier swim-bike-run event is held on March 12.

The inaugural run drew 902 participants, while 823 competitors took part in last year's edition of the event.

Craig Alexander of Australia and Swiss Caroline Steffen will return to defend their title, but the duo are in for a tough challenge as other competitors are out to foil their bids for back-to-back crowns.

Among the contenders are: inaugural champion Tim Reed, Sam Betten, Jason Hall and Dan Wilson of Australia, South African Johan Stofberg, Till Schramm of Germany and Eric Watson of Bahrain.

The CT Ironman 70.3 caps a three-day weekend that includes a 2GO Bike Service and Expo on March 10, and the Alaska Ironkids and Century Tuna Superbods: The Underpants Run on March 11.

Great Britain, the US and Australia are fielding in 23, 22 and 20 entries, respectively. Singapore has 16, Guam 14, Japan 12, Germany 11, while Switzerland has 10, guaranteeing a spirited battle for top honors in various age-group divisions.

Other countries participating are Argentina, American Samoa, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Spain, France, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Monaco, Mexico, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Thailand, Uruguay and Vietnam.

Aside from the centerpiece pro and Asian Elite, other titles to be disputed are the 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69 and the 70-and-above age categories.

Also on tap is the relay competition featuring the mixed and the all male and all female classes, according to the organizing SEI.

The 1.9-kilometer swim will start and end at the Acea Beach in Subic Bay with the 90-km bike course also to fire off at the Acea Subic Bay to the Floridablanca interchange via Tipo Tollgate and back.

The 21-km run will start at the Subic Bay Convention Center (SBECC) and transit the SBMA en route to the turnaround at Acea Beach with the finish line at SBECC. (ABS-CBN News)

http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/12/17/huge-field-gears-up-for-ct-ironman-703

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Joven tops stage four in Subic Bay, Roque holds on to overall Ronda lead

KINETIX Lab-Army's Cris Joven outsprinted defending champion Jan Paul Morales of Navy-Standard Insurance and Ryan Serapio of Ilocos Sur to top Stage Four of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017 that started at the Lighthouse Marina and ended at the Harbor Point in Subic Bay.

Joven, 30, checked in with the same time as Morales and Serapio and a big group of riders in two hours, 40 minutes and six seconds but clinched an eight-second bonus for the stage win.

Cris Joven winds up a hair ahead in a bunched sprint finish

"I made my move in the final stretch when I sensed I still have some energy left in me inside," said Joven, who started training for the event only last month as he focused on his job in the Army.

"I wasn't expecting much in this race because I was off cycling for one year and only returned to action last month," said Joven, whose best finish was fourth overall five years ago.

Navy's Rudy Roque managed to stay with the lead group to keep the red jersey with an aggregate time of 11:12:15.

The 31-year-old Morales is now in second spot, a minute and a half off pace with a total clocking of 11:13:45.

After a forgettable start, Morales has topped the Stage Two criterium in Vigan, Ilocos Sur Sunday and the Angeles-Subic Stage Three.

"I was a marked man since I took the lead and I'm just happy to still remain on top even though they keep watching over me," said Roque, of Tibo, Bataan.

Ronald Lomotos slid to third with a time of 11:14:33.

Serapio moved up three places to fourth with a time of 11:16:07.

Joven was also a big gainer as he zoomed from No. 14 to No. 9 with 11:16:48.

Rounding out the top 10 were Navy's Jay Lampawog (11:16:12), Kinetix Lab-Army's Reynaldo Navarro (11:16:21), Go for Gold's Joshua Mari Bonifacio (11:16:28), Navy's Daniel Ven Carino (11:16:35) and Go for Gold's Ismael Grospe, Jr. (11:17:43).

The race will take a two-day breather before resuming action on Sunday with the Lucena-Pili Stage Five, the race's longest stage at 251 kms passing Tatlong Eme in Atimonan, Quezon.

The champion gets P1 million courtesy of LBC in partnership with MVP Sports Foundation, Petron, Mitsubishi, Versa.ph, Partas, Maynilad, Standard Insurance, CCN, Bike Xtreme, NLEX, PhilCycling and 3Q Sports Event Management. (Spin.ph)

http://www.spin.ph/cycling/news/cris-joven-jan-paul-morales-ronda-pilipinas-2017-subic-lighthouse

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Sailors race from Subic to Boracay

WITH top notch sailors and boats coming in from Hong Kong, excitement is building up on the Standard Insurance 8th Subic Bay to Boracay Race.

Organizers led by Ernesto Echauz and Jun Avecilla said this as around 18 boats and more than 200 crack sailors from all the globe come over to take part in this extreme sailing action.

Participants will head down south to one of the country’s famous tropical paradise, Boracay.

“This will be a part of the Asian Yachting Circuit that determines the Skipper of the Year and Yacht of the Year,” said Avecilla during yesterday’s press briefing at the Kamayan Restaurant in Padre Faura, Manila.

The event is also part of the Philippine Sailing Grand Prix, which is a series of popular racing events in the country that put Subic in the compass of the international sailing community.

The SBBR is just the start. It will be followed by the Boracay Cup Regatta on Monday, Feb. 20.

Then, the 10th Commodore’s Cup Regatta will be on tap from April 19 to 23, also in Subic Bay.

All of these are part of the 2017 Asian Yachting Grand Prix Circuit organized by Asian Yachting.com.

“The coming race is going to be very exciting. Because, we are going to see the top boats from Hongkong coming over,” added Echauz, who is also the president of the Philipine Sailing Association.

Syd Fisher’s Dubois 90 Ragamuffin, skippered by David Witt, recorded the fastest time of 14 hours, 23 minutes and 17 seconds that last time around.

This time, a bigger boat Scallywag, which is the former Ragamuffin 100, will be there to beat the record under new owner Seng Huang Lee.

Last year’s Frank Pong’s Custom Dibley 75 Jelik navigated through the Bataan and Batangas Mountain Range, and cleared the notoriously tricky Verde Passage with ease.

Jelik went on to claim the handicap honors by two hours over defending IRC Cruising Class 1 champion TP52 Standard Insurance-Centennial III, which belongs to Echauz.

This year’s Echauz’s boat will go head on again against Ray Ordoveza’s Excel 53 Karakoa, which lost by a point to Standard Insurance-Centennial III last year.

Also in contention in the IRC Racing Class 2 event is Nick Burns’ Sydney GTS43 Mandrake, which took the class handicap plum. (Peter Atencio, Manila Standard Sports)

PHOTO:
Top contender Jelik, skippered by Hongkong’s Frank Pong, drew first blood as the foreign entries dominated the 7th Standard Insurance Subic Bay to Boracay Race last year.

http://thestandard.com.ph/sports/228757/sailors-race-from-subic-to-boracay.html

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SBMA set to attract more Japanese investors to Subic Bay

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is eyeing more Japanese companies to invest inside this premier freeport after the agency bagged a contract with Japanese company Subic Smart Community Corporation (SSCC) to upgrade the Subic golf course.

SBMA Administrator Atty. Wilma T. Eisma said that the upgrading of the Subic golf course will play an integral part in attracting more tourists to the Freeport.

The Subic Bay golf clubhouse 

“When we first envisioned the Subic Freeport during its initial stage, we were thinking of making this into a port city like Singapore. Aside from the usual port operations like cargo and bulk handling, we imagined Subic Freeport as a tourist haven for local and international tourists alike,” she said.

The SBMA has approved a $30-million investment for the upgrade of the Subic Bay golf course by the SSCC. According to Masafumi Miyamoto, the company will develop Subic Bay golf course into a world-class venue for tournaments and a housing facility for the elderly and retirees.

Miyamoto is the founder of the Smart Community Co., Ltd., the first and largest continuing-care retirement community in Japan.

The two-pronged development project is touted as a potential major asset in the Subic Freeport. The first part is the $3-million renovation and redevelopment of the whole golf course within the span of two years.

The renovation will include the clubhouse, sprinkler systems and repair of ponds, improvement of the greens and the upgrade of machinery and equipment such as golf carts and service vehicles.

Miyamoto said the golf course will remain in operation despite the renovation, leaving open a minimum of nine holes.

The second part of the development project is the $27-million expansion of all areas for the Subic Smart Community within a six-year period. This will include the construction of 200 residential units within the span of two years.

Another 1,800 residential units will be added, including various amenities such as a gym, a sports center, arts and crafts studios, karaoke or music rooms, function rooms, library and bars and restaurants.

The plan to create residential areas is part of Miyamoto’s proposal for Japanese retirees after a market study showed that Japan’s elderly care businesses rose to a whopping $252-billion in 2015. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)

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