Asian duathlon set Nov. 15 in Subic

World class action takes place in the 2009 Subic Bay ASTC Asian Duathlon Championships slated November 15 at the Subic Bay Freeport.

Russian Sergey Yakolev, the number one ranked duathlete by the International Triathlon Union (ITU), and Japan’s Aira Sawada banner the foreign field in the male and female elite class as they vie for top honors and a big slice from the R250,000 total prize raised by Triathlon Association of the Philippines in partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Prior to the race, the ITU will first conduct a Level II Technical Official Education Seminar from November 13 and 14 with ITU Events Operations Manager Thanos Nikopolous as lecturer. Participants will be asked to help officiate in the Asian Duathlon Championships and those who will pass the test may be eligible to work in the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010 and the Asian Beach Games in Muscat, Oman in 2011.

Joining Yakolev, who won the 2009 Mekong River ITU Duathlon World Series event and placed third in the Budapest ETU Duathlon European Championships, in the male elite are ITU number two ranked Damien Derobert of France, number 4 ranked Raphael Baugh of Australia and number 10 ranked Yuya Fukaura of Japan.

Malaysia’s Shahrom Abdullah and Krishna Kumar have also confirmed their participation in this event backed by Subic Bay Metro Authority, Rudy Project, Sunkist, Fitness First, Globe, David’s Salon, Vitwater, Gatorade, Asian Center for Insulation Phils.

Derobert’s best showing this year was a second place finish in the World Duathlon held in Concord, Connecticut, USA while Baugh is a vetern of the 2006 Asian Duathlon Championship which was held in Clark where he finished second to Ryan Mendoza.

Sawada meanwhile looms as the top female competitor as she topped the Mekong River race last March aside from a 12th place finish in the World Duathlon Championships. Sawada’s compatriot Erika Inoue is also competing in the race to be held at the 10k run, 40-k bike and 5-k run distance in a new course at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.