Subic Bay, Philippines-February 25, 2024—Top Age Group Honors were earned today at TriFactor Philippines Triathlon by Banjo Norte, Rhia Stawicki and Elmer Santiago as they took the first-ever wins at the inaugural age group all-stars competition.
Banjo Norte was the first overall men’s finisher and took top honors at the age group all-stars men’s open category, finishing in 2:15:13 on the strength of his race-best 1:04:49 bike split.
Rhia Stawicki was the first overall women’s finisher and dominated the age group all-stars women’s open category. Stawicki finished in 2:27:55 in a wire-to-wire victory, producing the women’s best splits of the day in all triathlon legs.
In the men’s age group masters category, Elmer Santiago capitalized on his category-best run split of 48:38 to come from behind and win in 2:29:08.
Juan Miguel Tayag won the junior elite division in the sprint distance category with a time of 1:06:38.
Stawicki commented, “The competition was tough, and every athlete brought their best to the course. It’s an honor to win in TriFactor Triathlon Philippines. A big thank you to the organizers and sponsors for putting together such a fantastic event.”
“It was an amazing start for the debut of the all-stars competition. The men’s open division was a tight race, and I have to commend Coach Ronald Molit, who placed second and gave it all and emptied his tank sa finish. He is in his 40s but battled and won against guys in their 20s. This is the spirit of the age group all-stars we are trying to impart to all. I hope everyone had an amazing time with us. See you next year,” said Abe Tayag, Athlete Services director for GoClark.
More than 800 participants converged at Subic Bay this weekend for the Pho3nix Kids Philippines and TriFactor Philippines events. It reaffirmed Subic Bay’s status as the Triathlon Capital of the Philippines.
“This is an amazing start to our 2024 TriFactor Asian championship race in Subic where we welcome participants from 17 countries to race across 3 race formats. A very special thanks to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for the unwavering trust and support to host our TriFactor championship event and to our partner GoClark Events and all sponsors that make this event into an iconic TriFactor triathlon event within the Republic of Philippines,” added Elvin Ting, TriFactor Asia CEO.
The event featured a 1.5 km swim in Subic Bay’s harbor, a 40 km bike ride through the coastal freeport, and a hot 10 km multi-run along the waterfront road, which tested the endurance and skill of every participant. It also catered a sprint category for beginners and intermediate athletes.
Scott Frankland, an athlete representing United Kingdom commented via Facebook, “”My first ever triathlon today… I have no comparison with others but this was amazing! I loved it! Great service and organisation! You should be very proud of this event! I will return!!!”
Race Director and organizer Jumbo Tayag reflected on the event’s success, stating, “We are thrilled with the turnout and the level of competition at this year’s TriFactor Triathlon. Last year, we had 350 registrants and 87% of them came back to race. We also grew by 57%. The goal was to deliver a safe, fun and superb race experience that we at GoClark work hard for. The happy faces at the finish line were all I needed to see. Mission accomplished!”
Other category Winners are: Isaiah Del Rosario (Male 18-24), Jigo Libiran (Male 25-29), Lennart, Reiners (Male 30-34), Raymund Velasco (Male 35-39), Edgar Puruganan (Male 40-44), Edward Agdamag (Male, 45-49), Levy Ang (Male 50-54), Noel Mondero (Male 55-59), Angelito Bolina (Male 60+) Faith Garcia (Female 30-39), Kriska Sto. Domingo (Female 35-39), Patricia Anne Castillo (Female 40-44), Rena Marte (Female 45-49), Celma Hitalia (Female 50+).
TriFactor Philippines is supported by SBMA, Subic Grand Harbour Hotel, Cycles and Brew, Whye King, On Philippines, Huub Philippines, Cervelo Philippines, Unison Bike Shop, Hyperice, Garmin Philippines, Stretch Lab, 3006 Brewery, Buena Casa Hotel, SYLBS, and VelogicFit.
