The Davao City government is leaving no stone unturned in the preparations for the biggest sporting event next year–the Alveo Ironman 70.3 triathlon race which will be staged in March.
City Sports and Development Office officer-in-charge Mikee Aportadera said Mayor Sara Duterte has given the marching orders to finish all roadworks before the much-anticipated international race.r
During the event’s official launch on Sunday, Aportadera said the city government will set a meeting with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) starting next week so that the all roadworks will be done before the big race on March 2018.
Aportadera said the requirement for the hosting of an Ironman 70.3 race is to have flat concrete or asphalted roads.
“This because, when the bike race will commence, the roads should have no holes and uneven surfaces,” he said. “We are doing our best to coordinate with the DPWH, also with our City Engineers Office to help us out in fixing the road for the race next year.”
Aside from the DPWH, the city will also coordinate with the barangays in city, security and medical forces as well as the local government units of Panabo City and Tagum City in Davao del Norte as the bike stage of the swim-bike-run event will reach those cities.
Aportadera said they are expecting to draw about 1,500 participants including a number of foreign entries.
“We are looking at, not only in the but also in the other Asian countries, because in the past Ironman races of the Sunrise events there were foreign athletes who joined the races,” he said.
He said Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio wants to showcase the city and other parts of Mindanao to the participants from the Philippines and to foreign triathletes.
“Once we will be hosting the Ironman in Davao City, one is we will be bringing people from the outside and they are able to see and feel what Davao City and Mindanao all about. Number two is tourism, since every athlete will also have companions,” he said.
Aportadera said that the tourism industry will benefit tremendously from the event.
He said the organizer Sunrise Events is promoting the race in other Asian countries to gain foreign participants to join the race.
