JONATHAN Martin and JC Ferrer outshone the rest of the competition as they finished first in their respective divisions of the 50th Tan Holdings Anniversary 50KM Bike Race on Saturday in Marpi.
The race, which was held in partnership with the NMI Cycling Federation, was tough.
The long course took the competitors from Banzai Cliff to Seafix for two loops, and in the second loop bikers proceeded to La Fiesta before heading back to Banzai Cliff for the finish.
In the 20KM short course, the bikers rode from Banzai Cliff to Seafix and back.
Jonathan Martin was the first to cross the finish line in the male division of the Road Bike Long Course category with a time of 01:20:14 followed by Joel Buco in second place at 01:24:25 and Fred Remillosa just a second behind in third place at 01:24:26.
Jonathan Martin, a triathlete from Guam, is a regular participant of Saipan races.
He said he was a bit familiar with this year’s course and expected some climbs as he loves courses with uphill roads. “The first few meters were tough because it was flat and I was racing with some of the fast bikers on Saipan,” he added.
But he managed to get comfortable midway through the first loop and never looked back for a strong first-place finish.
An avid bike rider, he flew in on Friday to participate in the race and returned to Guam Saturday night so he could join a 60KM race Sunday morning. He will return to Saipan in December for the next Hell of the Marianas event.
Women’s division
In the women’s division, JC Ferrer remained the rider to beat and was the clear winner with a finish time of 01:27:22. Kimiko McKagan cam in second with a time of 01:30:18 while Jay Ann Felipe was third at 01:38:20.
Mountain bike
In the Mountain Bike Long Course event, Nap Dizon finished overall first with a time of 01:25:53 followed by Rennan Sublemente with a time of 01:37:25 and Hernan Cristobal in third with a time of 01:43:57.
Also joining the races were Tan Holdings executives. In the E-Bike category, President and CEO Jerry Tan came in first followed by vice president of corporate business development Alex Sablan in the male division while in the women’s division, Merlie Tolentino, Tan Siu Lin Foundation executive director, came first followed by Melanie Santos and Christy Villaflor.
Participants take off at the starting line of the 50th Tan Holdings Anniversary 50KM Bike Race on Saturday in Marpi.
First placer Jonathan Martin, center, with second placer Joel Buco, right, and third placer Fred Remillosa pose on the podium at the conclusion of the 50th Tan Holdings Anniversary 50KM Bike Race on Saturday in Marpi.
