Just a few weeks after successfully staging the highly-praised first Cebu City Triathlon (CCT), the Cornerstone Group is announcing this year’s schedule of the 8080 Triathlon Series, all to be held in the northern towns of Cebu.
Happening on May 2 is the 8080 in Sogod and on November 14 in San Remigio. Both dates fall on a Saturday. The 8080 Triathlon covers a 1.8 kilometer swim, 65-km bike and 14-km run. A 4040 distance will also be held as a side event and will cover half the distance of the 8080.
Cornerstone Group’s Steve Maniquis said that they decided to announce their schedules early to avoid conflicts with the many triathlon events planned for this year in Cebu. He also allayed concerns that it will coincide with the fight of Manny Pacquiao, the Pambansang Kamao, as this fight will be held in the US.
According to Maniquis, they opted to have their first 8080 this year in Sogod instead of returning to Bogo, a city north of Cebu. This because the roads in Bogo are still under construction, which may put participants in danger especially in the bike segment of the race.
“We always prioritize the safety of the bikers,” said Maniquis, adding that this is why they always push for a full road closure in every race that they organize.
In Sogod, where the race will start and end at the Thadeus Durano Roro Port, not only are they negotiating with Mayor Monyeen Durano Streegan for a 100 percent closure of the coastal road but they are also in talks with bus operators to perhaps change their schedules so no buses will be on the road during the race.
Maniquis said they are also not expecting the usual traffic of vehicles because aside from the race falling on a long weekend as May 1, Friday, a day before the race, is Labor Day, they are also holding the race on the coastal road and not on the main highway so as not to disrupt traffic for north-bound vehicles.
The schedule also allows participants to bring their families for a weekend bonding.
Sogod has been known to host triathlons in the past with the Alegre Beach Resort as the main area, but the 8080 will be held in a different and public area.
“We always make sure to hold races on areas that belong to the Local Government Unit (LGU) so the locals will be able to watch the event and perhaps get inspired to try the sport themselves,” said Joaquin Morras also of the Cornerstone Group.
Morras added that they are also providing five free slots to the locals to be coursed through the LGU for both Sogod and San Remigio 8080.
While both races are serious, of the two, Sogod 8080 will be of more importance as it will happen close to the Cobra Ironman 70.3 slated for the first week of August.
“It is an event where triathletes can practice their peak performance,” Morras said.
The SanRem 8080, according to Maniquis is still a serious race but it is more likely to be a culminating, bonding with other triathletes kind of thing as it is scheduled in the last quarter of the year.
It will also follow the same route as last year, said Maniquis.
In both Sogod and SanRem, organizers will be designating a parking area as they will not allow vehicles parking along the race route, same as last year.
Elite Category
Aside from the new venue, organizers have also added a new category, the elite, to make the dynamics of the race better.
And, just like in the recent CCT, participants will have to choose whether to sign up in the elite or age-group categories as they can only claim a win in one category. Unlike in other races, when a participant does not make it to the top in the elite, open or overall, he still has a chance to win in his age-group category.
According to Morras, aside from the fact that this is how it is done in international competitions, it also makes the age-group participants more competitive.
Registration
Online registration for both events is available via the cornerstone8080events.com. Participants can also register at the 30 Kitchen located at The Gallery in Mabolo or at the Holiday Gym and Spa where a registration booth will also be put up soon.
Organizers, upon the advice of junior coaches of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), will be strict about how young a participant can be. Only those who will be turning 15 years old this year will be allowed to sign up, but also only in the 4040 distance. For the 8080 distance, a participant must be 18 years old and above.
For the Sogod 8080, participants can avail of the early bird registration fee of P3,500 until March 15. After that, anybody interested will have to pay the regular fee of P3,800. For the 4040, early bird fee is pegged at P2,500 while the regular fee is P2,800. For the relay teams, early registration will only entail a fee of P6,500 while the regular fee is P7,000. Deadline of submission of entries is on April 15.
Organizers are also offering a discount for those who already want to register for the SanRem 8080 as early as now. For the 8080, interested participants will only get to pay P3,200 until May 15 and afterwards P3,500 until July 15. Those who cannot make it before or on those dates will have to pay the regular registration fee of P3,800 until September 15, which is the deadline.
Those who want to register for the 4040 will only get to pay P2,200 until May 15, then P2,500 afterwards until July 15. Regular fee is pegged at P2,800. The relay teams will also get discounts, very early entries will only get to pay P6,200 until May 15, P6,500 until July 15 while the regular fee is set at P7,000.
Organizers are also offering the 10+1 package which encourages participants to register as a team. If participants numbering to 10 or more register together for the same category, they will get one more entry for free.
The top 3 elite finishers, male and female, will get P10,000, P7,000 and P3,000, respectively. Winners in the age-group categories may not get cash prizes but organizers are promising more prizes for them.
