70 bikers participated in the event, with Nap Dizon topping the men’s road bike category at one hour, 24 minutes, and 24 seconds. Both he and Willy Barbo came neck and neck at the finish line, with the latter coming in at 1:24:25. Aldrin St. Ana rallied to third place with 1:24:50.
Lone female road biker Susan Marchitti posted two hours, six minutes, and 54 seconds after cruising through Suicide Cliff, Banzai Cliff, and the Grotto, among other sites.
Butch divided the mountain bike category into two courses – sport and open.
Harold Balana ruled the men’s sport course with 52 minutes and five seconds, Bob Oropesa placed second at 52:41, and teen biker Erico Castro won third with 56:25.
Esther Ada (1:30:54) and Sheryl Camacho (1:44:22) came in first and second, respectively, in the women’s division.
Bob Ferrer dominated the men’s open course with one hour and 31 seconds, followed by triathlete Lewie Tenorio (1:01:41) and Noel Altamirano (1:03:59).
Juanita Fajardo, who reached the finish line in 2:10:52, was the open division’s only female biker.
Proceeds from the race will help Butch compete in this year’s XTERRA World Championship set for October 23 in Maui, Hawaii.
Dubbed as the “world’s premier off-road triathlon,” the XTERRA Championship is joined by 550 professional and amateur athletes each year.
Sublemente thanks his following sponsors: Pacific Islands Club, Brabu Pharmacy, IT&E, Saipan Bike Pro, Transamerica, Ride NMI, Marpac, Traders Insurance, Tropex Garden, Topnotch, DFS Galleria, Marianas Visitors Authority, Taro Sue, Dynamic Massage, Saipan Cyclers, Stan Good, Stewart Smith, Paul Dujua, Romy Lanuza, Joshua Berger, Lito Mendoza, Suzy Kindel, and Rommel Bartolo.
