Starting point will be at Boso-boso Cycle Park. Open to non-members of Philmofo.org

Date:

• Sunday, August 21
• 4:30am - 8:30pm

Categories:

• All Men
• Mixed

Events:

• 120KM event (start time @ 5:00 A.M. sharp)
• 200KM event (start time @ 4:30 A.M. sharp)
  

Prizes:

• All finishers, regardless of their distance event, will get a Finisher’s Medal.
• Winners’ prizes:
• All Men: 1st @ P5,000 | 2nd @ P3,000 | 3rd @  P2,000
• Mixed: 1st @ P5,000 | 2nd @ P3,000 | 3rd @ P2,000

Fee: 

• P500 per head/team member, inclusive of XCM-MIM shirt, food, and drinks at designated pit stops.

Online registration ONLY! Email brusko@philmofo.org or log on to Philmofo.org. Deadline of registration is on August 17, 2011!

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* Original article here.

Manila, Philippines – The Prima Cycling Team, representing the Philippines, pocketed two gold medals and one silver medal in the recent 2011 Singapore National Open Cycling Championship at the Kent Ridge Park in Singapore.

The father-and-son tandem of former Philippine downhill team coach Frederick Farr and rising junior cyclist John Derrick Farr outraced all foreign riders in their respective divisions in downhill event to capture a gold medal each.

Copyright: Chucky Marcelo

Frederick Farr, 39,timed in 1:09.670 in the Downhill Masters 35-above category to outclass Singapore’s Mohd Fahmie Senen (1:11.080) and Arnold Lacorte of Philippines (1:13.163).

“This is my first time to compete in an international race so it is really unforgettable to win a gold there as an athlete,” said the older Farr, who thanked Alex Lim and Prima Pasta for supporting their campaign during the competition.

The 14-year-old Farr captured the gold in the downhill junior 14-19 class in 1:04.333 time to beat Singaporean riders Harold Foo (1:06.269) and Shadumi Anaqui (1:09.948).

Alex Lim, the benefactor of the Prima Cycling squad, thanked Prima Pasta, Isuzu, South Cycle Bikeshop, TM Olegario Construction, Lou Laforteza, Lightwater, Panaracer Tires and Nema for their all-out support.

John Michael Mapacpac finished second in the cross country sports 19-to-34-year-old class in 51.19 for the silver medal behind gold medal winner Jordan Ross Aveyard of Great Britain (45.28).

Alvin Timbol, the other Prima rider, ended sixth in 1:18.328 in the Downhill Masters 35-year-old category.

“I’m so proud of them. I just told them to compete for our country and then they went home with two gold medals and a silver medal,” said Lim, who also supports other sports like bowling and badminton.

* Original article here.

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Congratulations to my fellow Team Prima/Isuzu/South Cycle teammates for dominating the XC (cross-country) and DH (downhill) categories at the Singapore National Cycling Championships held last weekend, July 3, 2011, at Kent Ridge Bike Park, Singapore.

(Video & link to Facebook album by team captain Chucky below)

Team Prima results are as follows:

• JM Mapacpac: Silver! XC 19-34
• Eboy Farr: Gold! Men’s DH Masters
• Jerich Farr: Gold! Men’s DH Juniors
• Alvin Timbol: 6th place! Men’s DH Masters

We’d like to say thanks to our team sponsors for the continuous support:

Below is the video (Facebook album here.):

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Click on this link to watch the videos: 

Dirt Is Good 2011: Super D track from Francis Arellano on Vimeo.

Dirt Is Good 2011: Super D track, part 2 from Francis Arellano on Vimeo.

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The Strike Ride for A Cause is an event spearheaded by the Cavite mayor himself to promote a sporty and healthy lifestyle. Being a biker himself, Mayor Strike saw it as a good opportunity to support the biking community in and around the area. Aside from it being a late birthday celebration (his birthday is March 2), there will also be a fun run in the same location prior to the bike race.

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I kind of messed up with the first video I posted of Theo’s first-hand review of the 2nd Tagaytay Highlands Cross-Country MTB Adventure race which was held last April 24, 2010.

So here now is the extended version of the first video. Enjoy!

2010 04 24 EXTENDED First-hand Tagaytay Highlands race experience by Theo from Francis Arellano on Vimeo.

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2010 04 24 First-hand Tagaytay Highlands race experience by Theo from Francis Arellano on Vimeo.

You can view the pics I took of the event with my GoPro Helmet Hero cam here.

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I’m still tired. Having a very humid, sleepless night before the race, and waking up real early as I had to drive out of my way to Shell along Daang Hari to meet up with my other Team Prima team mates Borj and Ryan, then go back to meet with Prof.

I didn’t want to be late, that’s why I set my alarm at 4 A.M. Little did I know my text message to Borj and Ryan about our 5:15 A.M. takeoff time will be misinterpreted to 5:15 A.M. takeoff from home!

@#$!&! I meant 5:15 A.M. takeoff from Shell! Next time I’ll try to be as clear as possible. Hmf!

And… Prof was late, too, in meeting us at the Phoenix gas station. Zzzz…

As soon as Prof arrived he barely stopped before we were driving down the road again in convoy. Along the way I noticed a reckless driver behind me. I didn’t know if he just doesn’t know how to drive properly or he was just a drunk driver on his way home. Then I noticed it was Togs. I knew it was the former

With him were Ramil and the team’s “Specialized child”, Gerry Abordo.

Arrival

After a quick breakfast at Jollibee near the Tagaytay rotunda we finally arrived at the event parking area.

Everyone was rushing as we still had to get our race kits from the organizers. When I was about to start pedaling I noticed my rear tire had too little air. Gerry threw a spare interior at me and we did a quick change. Diego, not racing due to a healing arm (broke it while downhilling), found the culprit. A tear near the valve stem.

The race didn’t start on time — I don’t think it’s the organizers’ fault as there were late on-site registrants (guys, please be considerate next time. If you’re planning on registering on-site go the damn event real early! If you have to leave your homes at 12 midnight then DO SO! Crazy idea? Then register in advance).

Pit crew

Pit/support crew were jolted to action during the Megaman category (simultaneous with the Women’s). We watched the racers enter the trail, from the start/finish line on the road (mass start). Borj was either the first or second racer in his category. Less than 10 minutes of entering the trail, when we couldn’t see anyone from both categories anymore, someone shouted, “Oh, si Borj!” so I checked the area where the racers are expected to exit and pass us again. I couldn’t see anyone.

“Ano nangyari kay Borj? (What happened to Borj?)” was what I heard next. I looked towards the direction where they entered and saw Borj walking his bike.

“Flat!” he shouted, with a shake of his head. Facial expression reflects frustration. When he arrived he almost threw his bike on the ground, clearly pissed.

“Change tire!” Togs shouted, “Better to finish the race than to get a DNF!” But Borj is already resigned to not finishing the race.

“Change the whole wheelset!” shouted Togs again. The 2 brothers, Diego and Daniel, and I sprang into action.

Borj sat on the ground, making himself as comfortable as possible.

Diego, being the closest to Borj’s bike lifted it up then flipped it upside down, bringing the rear flat tire near me. Daniel doing the same with his bike.

Borj started removing his helmet.

I quickly removed Borj’s rear flat tire and handed it to someone beside me (Diego? I don’t remember).

Borj laid his helmet on the ground.

Daniel handed me his rear tire. I then installed it on Borj’s bike.

Borj started removing his gloves.

I tightened the quick-release skewers, then Diego and I made sure the chain was sitting in the correct cog.

Borj threw his gloves towards his helmet, shaking his head.

Diego and I flipped Borj’s bike right back up.

“Done! Go, go, go!” we shouted at Borj. He seemed surprised. He got his gloves and helmet back, and went back into the race. We left him no choice.

Back to regular programming

The rest of the event went on smoothly. The Masters, Vetarans, and Sport categories were released all at the same time. I heard there were a few people who crashed real early in the race, right after we were released, even just before entering the trail section. I don’t really know what and how it happened.

The track was fun and tiring. Our run had the most number of laps to run: 2, with 9 km per lap. Short? Looks like it. Don’t be fooled. The track had an abundance of uphill climbs of different flavors: short but sweet bursts of steep climbs, one section with even 2 levels; fairly long stretches of climbs with a slight grade; steep, powdery climbs with sudden turns at the stop (choke point, too), preceded by a powdery off-camber section (it was kinda hard to get momentum here for the climb); dusty climbs right after a fast descent AND a tight switchback, totally no momentum for the climb.

No, I’m not complaining. I’m actually ecstatic with the different types of climbs coupled with their different momentum-killer prequels.

After the race I went to visit the Philmofo group from whom I got a lot of support while racing via cheers (or jeers? ), supportive comments, and even water (thanks Obijuan!), then I went back to the Team Prima camp then off to the vehicles to change, load and secure the bikes, and head for lunch.

Wrong info

Most people I know based their knowledge about this year’s race on last year’s event. Specifically, food/lunch will be buffet, the race track will consist mostly of road, food/lunch will be buffet, and food/lunch will be buffet.

A few kind souls who took a video of their reading of the tracks prior to race day posted the video on Facebook. This was good news as they showed this year’s race track will not be done mostly on asphalt.

But the biggest concern of most racers came as a disappointment. Sure, the presentation of lunch was buffet-style, but we can only get 1 serving of food and drink (iced tea).

In my opinion the food was too dry. I wished they served soup, but they didn’t. Oh well, at least they served brown/red organic rice and fruits (banana, pineapple, and watermelon) with the meat (was that chicken?).

In the latter part of lunch, as soon as the organizers were able to tally the 1st-3rd placers of each category, the awarding ceremony got under way. Alternating with the raffle with excellent prizes (a Fuji Tahoe SL 29er frame and a whole Fuji Odessa 1.0 bike).

Cheers!

I also met the guys from Club 45-50, with whom I shared a table with during lunch.

What made the race real enjoyable was the company: Team Prima and Team Balbal. Helping each other out before and during the race, and dissing each other after, all in good fun.

By the way, Jun of Team Balbal won the Fuji Odessa 1.0 built bike — which is now in my living room

Friends who went up to the podium were:

• Rommel Corro (Team Prima), 3rd place, Masters category
• Gelo Santos (Team Prima), 3rd place, Juniors category
• Theo Bartoloma (Team Balbal), 2nd place, Megaman category

Now for the photos: (videos to follow)

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