Tight battle seen in 5150 CamSur

CAMARINES SUR, Philippines — The 5150 Triathlon CamSur kicks off today here, transforming the long wait into a thrilling showcase of endurance and willpower among local bidders and triathletes from 11 countries.

The stellar field in both the men’s and women’s sides are eager and ready for a new racing experience featuring an Olympic distance course of 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run marking the sport’s return to its original race destination.

The 5150 CamSur starts at 6:20 a.m. for the swim leg at the Lago del Rey, CamSur Watersports Complex, employing a rolling start. Participants have one hour for the swim leg, with a three-hour and 30-minute cutoff for the bike and a five-hour and 30-minute limit for the closing run stage.

The return of the sport to Camarines Sur promises fierce showdowns, with athletes like Jonathan Pagaura, Irienold Reig, Jr., Emil Lorbes, Denz Velasquez, Ian Consunji and Nicolo Magadia expected to slug it out for top honors in the men’s division.

For the women’s crown, Southeast Asian Games champion Kim Mangrobang intensifies the competition, creating a three-way battle against formidable opponents Erika Burgos and Bea Quiambao.

Mangrobang outshone Burgos and Quiambao in the inaugural 5150 Dapitan last September.