Cebu-based Omega Team to Join Dipolog Triathlon on May 15

Cebu-based commercial squad Rider Omega Pro Tri Team, which won the Team Challenge in the Tri United Series Leg 1, will suit up for another team challenge in the Dipolog Triathlon 103 on May 15 at the Sunset Boulevard in Dipolog City.

One of the team’s elite riders, Kristiane Lim, said around 30 members of the team are going to race in Dipolog.

“Around 30 athletes will go including the relay participants,” said Lim.

“We will also form a squad for the Team Challenge,” Lim said.

The team is methodical in their approach as race rules say that for a team to qualify for the Team Challenge, it must have four male and one female members competing in the different age groups of the long-distance race.

The team’s overall time is determined by the total time of the five members. If a member did not finish the race, the team is no longer entitled to earn the overall time.

Lim said the team will still decide the composition of the lineup and who will be racing in the elite division.

He added they need to put at least one elite in the age group class to boost their chances in the team challenge.

The team challenge is open only to age group participants.

The age group participants will accumulate points based on their ranking, and the team with the most points will win the Team Challenge title.

The Rider Omega Pro will be banking on their elites Paul Jumamil, the top finisher for the team in the Tri United Leg 1; Banjo Norte, the 2013 Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines Filipino elite champion; Lim, who won third place in the Filipino elite of 2014 Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines; and Cianyl Jamae Gonzalez in the distaff side.

The Dipolog Triathlon 103 will feature the long distance, sprint, super tri kids and fun distance. The long distance will cover 1.5-kilometer swim, 60K bike and 15K run while the sprint will have 750-meter swim, 30K bike and 7.5K run.

The champion in the Team Challenge will receive Php15,000, the top individual elite will win Php20,000 and Php15,000 for the relay category.

The Rider Omega Pro made waves on their first team challenge in Subic as they beat the veteran teams Herbalife and overall defending champion Sante Barley in the first leg of Tri United last February. (PNA) LDV/EB/MP/EDS