One major international sporting event will come to the Capiz next year as the province will host TriAksyon, a triathlon race scheduled on April 22-23, 2017.
Jose O. Borres, chairman of Capiz TriAksyon, revealed on a press conference held on December 12 at Villareal Stadium poolside that the event is expected to draw around 300 athletes from around the world.
“Triathletes from countries like Singapore and Hongkong have already inquired online, and signified their intention to join the competition,” said Borres. “Also, we encourage each municipality in Capiz to form a team and join the event.”
Aside from promoting sports to Capizeño, the purpose of the TriAksyon is for the tourism of the province.
“This activity will serve as promotion of Capiz being the ‘Seafood Capital of the Philippines’ and let other people around the globe know that Capiz still exists and has a lot to offer,” said Borres.
Borres further detailed that the TriAksyon competition will cover a route of 54 kilometers, passing through Roxas City and the town of Panay. Participants may join in the following categories: Trikids, Sprint, Standard, and Relay.
Registration will be done online, via official website www.capiztriaksyon.com. Registration fee ranges from P2,000 to 2,500.
He added that the organizers are already working out on bringing SEA Games gold medalist Claire Adorna and international triathlete Betsy Medalla to the event.
The triathlon will be one of the highlights of next year’s Capiztahan, an annual commemoration of the foundation day of the province.
“I’m very excited with this triathlon, more so because we have help from private sector who will help the tourism of our province,” said governor Tony del Rosario.
The provincial government will shell out funds for the event depending on proposals of the organizers, and it will be taken from the proposed P6 million budget intended for the whole Capiztahan Festival.
Provincial tourism and cultural affairs officer Alphonsus D. Tesoro said that aside from the main competition, the province will also hold peripheral activities to maximize the tourism impact of the event.
“We are planning to put up regional exposition that will be tied in to the triathlon,” Tesoro said. “We’ll make sure that there will be many side events, considering that this is also part of the Capiztahan.”
The tourism office is now readying 1,197 individual hotel rooms in the province to accommodate the athletes and tourists who will be gracing the event.
The province will hold a grand launching of the Capiz TriAksyon 2017 in January to promote the event even more in the region, around the country and internationally.
