Albay Is Venue Of XTERRA Triathlon

Albay Is Venue Of 

XTERRA Triathlon

Albay province is chosen the venue of XTERRA for the next three years starting on February 8, 2015. Some 1,500 participants and about 2,500 guests are expected to join in this largest off-road triathlon in the Philippines.

The three-year Albay XTERRA Triathlon event is expected to further boost the province’s growing tourism — with more visitors coming to witness it, since triathlon is a popular world  sports widely covered by media.

The arrangements for the staging of the triathlon in Legazpi City was completed in a recent meeting at the Manila Peninsula Hotel between Albay Gov. Joey Salceda and Alaska Milk Corp. CEO Wilfred Uytengsu, Jr., XTERRA franchise holder for the Philippines. Himself a triathlete, Uytengsu also owns the multi-titled basketball team, Alaska Aces and was responsible for bringing to the country the Iron Man Challenge in 2010.

Triathlon includes a series of swimming, mountain biking and trail running competitions within a predetermined distance and time.The XTERRA race series is the best-known series of off-road triathlons, and considered as the de facto world championship of the sport.

 “The XTERRA event in Albay could be as big, or even bigger than the Ironman challenge in Cebu, with some 2,500 participants and guests. It  will kick off February 8, 2015, as one among the opening events of the month-long Cagsawa Festival in Daraga town, with the world-famous Cagsawa belfry and Mayon Volcano at the backdrop,” Salceda pointed out. 

“Albay’s sports tourism had a significant push during the Daragang Magayon Festival in April last year, with Mayon 360 50-mile Ultra Marathon, which brought about 1,200 sports enthusiasts and more guests to Albay,” Salceda added.

“We are thankful to the people behind XTERRA, most particularly its franchise owner, Wilfred, for considering Albay as venue for the world popular sports event. We are sure this will give the province one big push to maintain and cement its position as the fastest growing tourist destination in the country,” said Salceda.

Albay is the fastest growing tourist destination in the country. In 2013, it posted a whopping 66 percent growth rate. For this reason, the Department of Tourism has continuously promoted the province abroad, the latest of which was the September 2 - 5 Guangzhou Travel Mart. /MP