Alicia, Bohol, April 16 (PIA) -- Boholano endurance runners proved their superiority in The Alicia Panoramic Park (TAPP) trails as they lorded it over other top caliber athletes in the region in the men and women categories of the 25-kilometer half-marathon and in the 12 kilometer race on April 16.

At the Alicia Ultra marathon 2023, Boholano Spectrum Runner James Palma was ahead of everyone in his pack in the male category of the 25-kilometer race when he breached Labawan Peak after an hour and a half of low gear run, followed by another Boholano marathoner Anthony Torrefranca at 1:56:01, 12 kilometers or midway in the race.

On Torrefranca’s heels were Cebu runner Glenn Javier de Castro on bib 25125, reaching the TAPPs highest elevation at 2:03:31 and then Ithiel Toreon Tiongson (25061) of Negros Occidental came ten minutes later at 2:12:09 followed by Southern Leyte’s pride Joseph Ollave (25015) at 2:12:14.

Palma (25151) barged into the finish line at the Alicia Gym 2:45:50 after the gun start and it would take another 45 minutes or so before De Castro could fill in the second place at 3:37:49.

Four minutes after de Castro, Anthony Torrefranca (25052) coasted to win third at 3:41:04, and then by Tiongson at 3:58:12 and Ollave on fifth at 4:06:20.

In the female category of the half marathon, Boholana runner Chelsea Denise Dagdayan (25139) was leading the pack after peaking Labawan Peak, some 1970 meters above the starting elevation at 2:20:04 but another Boholana Roxanne Optina was at visual range 2:21:55 after 12 kilometers of undulating hills and a dizzying assault.

After them, Cebu runner Anne Marie Navarro (25074) breached Labawan at 2:41:27 pursued by Joveline Requinto (25051) at 2:51:08 and Russian Elena Tsuvareva (25056) at 2:51:55, midway in the race.

At the finish line however Optina earned the top podium at 3:59:07, followed by Dagdayan at 4:24:52 on the second tier and Tsuvareva on third tier finishing at 4:59:45.

Navarro settled for 4th finishing at 5:12:34 and then Requinto fifth at 5:42:02, after the grueling 25 kilometers of unrelenting sun, almost impossible ascents and ankle and knee punishing descents.

In the 12 kilometer male category, Boholano marathon coach Leonides Solligue Jr. in bib 12109 did the entire 12 kilometer loop in 1:24:34, his closest rival another Boholano spectrum runner Nikko Presslmayr gave his all out to cap silver, finishing the course at 1:25:11 and his father, naturalized German Boholano Juergen Presslmayr  (12060) exactly a minute behind at 1:26:11 grabbed the bronze.

Another Bohol Spectrum Runner Joel Urbuda (12204) clocked the entire race course in 1:30:29, followed by Cebu Crazy Runner Jeremy Medroso (12031) at 1:34:59.

In the 12 kilometer women’s race, Cebuano runner and physical education professor at Cebu Institute of Technology Hanna Marie Arain (12024) won hands down completing the 12 kilometer race course at 1:43:52, Boholana runner Annabella Avenido (12102) of Talibon giving chase but the heat was so much on that day that the priority was completing the race. She3 finished at 2:08:04.

Another Boholana, Vinia Soldia (12202) barged for the third place at 2:11:26 followed by Cherry Tinio (12067) fourth at 2:19:19 and Cebu runner Cathleen Cuyno (12016) at 2:42:45 at fifth place.

According to Race Director Richard Anania, a total of 180 runners registered in the 25 kilometer race, only 59 finished the race at cut-off time, 50 did not finish and 71 in fact did not start the race.

For the 12 kilometer race, of the 109 registered runners, only 48 finished the race, 4 did not finish and 57 did not start the race.

That day, trail runners aimed to get past Labawan Peak between 6-8 in the morning or they would be roasted in the blazing sun in the next critical part of the course.

Those who could not make it to Labawan Peak by that time, had to quit, the sun relentless and the wind stood still.

The 25 and 12 kilometer trail run challenge was part of the Alicia Ultra Marathon, Bohols only Asian Trail master certified trail and Alicia’s top sports tourism product. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)