Sublemente reached the finish line at the Saipan Radar Station in one hour, 14 minutes, and 18 seconds, beating Mieko Carey’s record (1:14:39) last year and ranking first in the men’s championship division.
“I didn’t ride my bike since XTERRA but the race was fun. I’m happy to be back,” said Sublemente, who just joined his very first XTERRA World Championship race in Maui, Hawaii last month.
Sublemente was nearly four minutes ahead of second-ranked Antonee Aguilar, who arrived in one hour, 18 minutes, and 44 seconds. Completing the top five were Ariel Garcia (1:20:03), Noel Altamirano (1:22:22), and John Arceo (1:30:16).
The sport course, which was half the distance of the championship course, crowned Arnel Cruz as its men’s division champion. Cruz, posting 42:47, was followed by second and third place finishers Cesar Fortaleza (44:41) and Ricky Melchor (45:49). Rosalio Quintos ranked fourth at 47 minutes and 22 seconds and was trailed by Ariel Lansangan, who had 48:21.
Lone female cyclists Maricel Kruid and Brittany Jacobson timed in at 59:23 and 1:08:08, respectively in the women’s division.
None however, slid past Erico Castro in the sport course as the teen cyclist posted the best time at 41:58. Castro, who beat all men and women’s division bikers to the finish line, placed first in the youth division while Kaisei Toda ranked second with 56:25.
Castro nearly shattered last year’s sport course record — 40:58 — set by Gary Bandoja.
From the radar station, mountain bikers cruised past the Kalaberra Cave before reaching the Kamikaze Trail and Suicide Cliff. Cyclists eventually rode back to the radar station, with championship course riders completing two laps.
