Esperanzate, Andaya pedal way to triumphs in Bataan
MARIVELES, Bataan—An international race rookie and a seasoned campaigner used the bike leg to break away from their respective fields and rule the inaugural 5150 FAB Triathlon here.
Erik Esperanzate rebounded from his struggles in the swim leg with a swashbuckling performance atop the bike, before outkicking James Van Ramoga in the run to bag the men’s overall title in the 1.5-kilometer (km) swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run race with a time of 2:31:47.
“I made the most out of my strongest discipline, and that is the bike (stage),” Esperanzate, an 18-year-old native of Bataan, said in Filipino after timing 29 minutes and three seconds in the swim, 1:12:47 in the bike and 47:42 in the run. “And after that, I just tried to match them in the run.”
Ramoga came in second in 2:32:58, while Finland’s Jamo Makelainen snatched third place honors in 2:41:09.
In the women’s division, Nicole Andaya powered her way to the overall title after routing the field in the bike segment, where she recorded 1:29:37 on her way to a 2:52:53 total clocking that included 0:28:32 in swim and 0:51:05 in run.
“I really like the bike course because (it’s uphill), and pain is part of triathlon,” said Andaya, who also won the first 5150 Dapitan last year. “But when you reach the top, you see the view of the whole Bataan, which I really enjoyed.”
Nica Virtucio timed 3:00:23 to place second, while Jayvee Guemo finished third in 3:01:52.
The milestone event marked Bataan’s first foray into endurance racing, reinforcing the province’s commitment to showcasing its rich history, expanding economic footprint and growing reputation as a fast-rising sports tourism hub.
