TINIAN — A housewife from Saipan, Jully Rose Felipe, finished first in the 2021 Tinian Pika 50K bike race women’s open on Saturday.
“This is my first time in Tinian, my first bike race, and my first time to win a bike race,” she said, adding that she started biking in July 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Felipe, 39, said her win would not have been possible if not for her team-mates and mentor Joel Buco, the 2021 men’s open champion.
Felipe said when she started biking it was meant to be just for fun, but Buco encouraged her to join competitions.
Felipe said she will compete again in future bike races on Saipan and Tinian.
As for the men’s champion, Joel Buco, he was also the top finisher in the Tinian races in 2018 and 2019, and placed third last year.
Buco, 49, attributed his strong finish this year to his bike team’s rigorous training.
“Our training this year was better than the past year. Taking the win this year was easier,” Buco added.
He said he started bike racing when he was 17 years old.
Felipe finished the race at 1:49:04 while Buco clocked 1:42:11.
Finishing second and third in the men’s open were Nap Dizon and Jay Diyco.
In the women’s open, Kriz Gozon came in second.
Lalaine Pagarao took first place in the women’s 35-below category followed by Sylvia Mondala.
For her part, Sylvia Taggart took the top spot in the women’s 36-above category while Shanna Brennfleck finished second, and Pamela Walsh was third.
In the men’s 35-below category, the top three were Michael Aparie, who finished first; Renato Gaviola second; and Napoleon Solis, third.
Dennis Bautista topped the men’s 36-above category with Cesar Fortaleza and Floro Derexes in second and third places.
The 2021 Tinian Pika 50k race winners: Jully Rose Felipe in the women’s open and Joel Buco in the men’s open.
Photo by Bryan Manabat
The 2021 Tinian Pika 50k bike race participants pose for a group photo.
Photo by Bryan Manabat
