Color Manila Just Had Another Sold Out Event at Clark, Pampanga for CM Challenge Run

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Color Manila, currently the most aggressive ‘concept fun-run’ organizer in the country today, just capped the weekend with another sold-out event at Clark Parade Grounds for the CM Challenge Run.

This is the fourth time that Color Manila had its event at Clark, Pampanga, their last event was held just last December 2016.

Thousands of runners trooped to Clark as early as 4 a.m. Some of them came all the way from overseas, while a good number came from different parts of the country.

Runners got to enjoy the various challenges, they were also seen taking selfies at the color stations. The color festival which highlighted DJ Franco Zarate also proved to be a treat. Celebrities such as JC Parker, Ms. Global England 2015 Sophie Rankin and Antoinette Taus were also seen participating in the event.

“I’m excited to join my first Color Manila run. I’ve always liked obstacle courses and I’ve seen a lot of photos of their other events. I can finally join one,” says actress Antoinette Taus.

“We are so happy that all of you guys got here, for making this another sold-out event in Pampanga. We would also like to encourge our followers to start signing up for our next big event in Manila, the CM Blacklight Run, to be held on May 27, 2017, at Filinvest City, Alabang. We are most likely expecting 12,000 participants there,” says Justine Cordero, VP of Color Manila.

Sponsors for the CM Challenge Run include Clark Development Corporation, Task Us, Toby’s Sports, Runnr, Fontana, Skechers, Anytime Fitness Angeles, Pascual Yoghurt, 100 Plus, Starbucks Coffee and SM Tickets.

For more information about CM Blacklight Run on May 27, 2017, please visit www.colormanila.com

Huelva to Represent PH in Red Bull Cycling Race

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Pot-Pot Huelva bested 39 other cyclists to rule the Circulo Verde Chasedown Men's Fixed Gear Knockout Race at the said complex on Sunday, March 19, 2017..

Huelva edged fellow Go for Gold cyclist Jerry Aquino in the final lap to win the 41-lap, last man standing race.

Huelva went full throttle at the start, and by Lap 2, he already had a commanding lead.

By Lap 6, he was a full lap ahead of the rest of the pack, but with the overlapping rule disregarded in the race, that is, the overall leader can still be eliminated even if he is way ahead as long as he is the last to arrive at the finish line from the bottom group, the early barrage turned out to be costly as he found himself already at the group of those in danger of elimination.

Realizing his error, Huelva slowed down and kept in pace with the others before making another run for the top midway through the race.

But his next burst put him another full lap ahead of the remaining racers, virtually turning what was supposed to be a 39-lap race to a 41-lapper, and he had to get out of the bottom group to stay alive.

Good thing Aquino was there to once again remind Huelva of the rules, and Huelva just stayed in the lead group with him and Teng Querimit.

With Huelva and Aquino left to slug it out in the last lap, Aquino yielded and let Huelva take the top spot.

"Mistake ko [yung paghapit ko sa simula]. Buti na lang ako pa rin ang nanalo," Huelva told Wazzup Pilipinas after the race.

Huelva also earned the right to represent the Philippines in the Red Bull Last Stand knockout race in San Antonio, USA.

Querimit, the nephew of cycling legend Arnel, bucked a mechanical error to finish third, getting the last boot at the end of Lap 40.

On the other hand, Japo Parcero ruled the women's race.

The UP alumna, who is still part of the Quezon City campus' cycling club, broke away in the final lap to beat the entire Team Mako troika, who were all part of the geared category, whose race was merged with that of the fixed gear race, where Parcero was part of. Team Mako would sweep the podium in the geared category.

In the men's geared race, Rodolfo Balanza took the top spot followed by Joshua Atienza and Joshua Monton.

Below is the official press release of the event:

Circulo Verde Chasedown Determines Entrants to Red Bull Last Stand 

March 20^th, 2017, MANILA, Philippines - On March 19th 2017, the Metro Race Collective, in partnership with Ortigas & Company, organized the 1st annual Circulo Verde Chase Down – a fixed gear, eliminator style criterium event held at Circulo Verde.

In the eliminator format only the strongest survive. The slowest rider each lap is taken out of the race until one winner outlasts the competition, which makes for tense, dramatic racing that leaves little room for error.

On hand for the event were USAC Sanctioned Race Director, Ravi Rajcoomar, and world-renowned cyclist, Addison Zawada, who co-hosted the event.

“I’m here to hang out and chill with everyone here in the Philippines”, says Zawada. “This is a really fun and enjoyable race for the crowd. It’s really spectator friendly.”

“This my first time here in Manila and it was great to see the level of competition”, shares Rajcoomar. “it was really, really high. Cycling can flourish here in the Philippines.

The Fixed Geared Men’s race was the highlight of the event, which saw Ronnel Hualda take the victory in a dominating fashion. It proved to be the cyclist’s strongest showing, coming in over major competition that included Philippine National Team (Go for Gold) member, Jerry Roa Aquino. The victory cements Hualda’s place for the Red Bull Last Stand, which takes place later this year at the Alamo, in San Antonio, Texas, USA.

“First time ko mag laro ng gan ‘to”, shares Hualda. “So masaya ‘ko kasi first time ko naglaro nang gan’tong klase na karera, nanalo ako!”

For Red Bull 'Last Stand’ the typical crit race format is getting a Texas-style overhaul with the new ‘Eliminator’ format. In this cutthroat setup, the rider who crosses the finish line last on each lap gets eliminated until there’s just one rider left to take their final celebration lap.

Other highlights included the Fixed Women (open), which saw a well-earned victory from Japo Parcero.  “Well, I didn’t expect it because this is my first criterium race but it feels awesome”, says Parcero. “It would be awesome for this becomes a regular event, to liven up the scene. It’s awesome Red Bull is doing this!”

Also on hand for the event was the former editor of Women’s Health Philippines, Lara Parpan. “The event is well organized, the community is tight knit so there’s this feeling of camaraderie.”

Final Results:

Men’s Fixed Race

1.       Ronnel Hualda

2.       Jerry Roa Aquino

3.       Agustin Querimit

Women’ s Fixed Race

1.       Japo Parcero

2.       Gwyniever Fryce

3.       Jannel Geremia

Women’s Geared Race

1.       Mary Joyce Monton

2.       Marianne Dacumos

3.       Joyce Ann Monton

Men’s Geared Race

1.       Rodolfo Malangsa

2.       Joshua Atienza

3.       Jeffrey Monton

Social: #redbulllaststand | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redbulllaststand

Through the Red Bull network, hi-res video and still images are captured and made immediately available for editorial use for all media channels including television, film, print, mobile, and digital. All content from Red Bull Last Stand is centrally located for media partners in the Red Bull Content Pool.

Correspondent:  Ivan Stewart Saldajeno

Cusi Optimistic About the Future of Solar Power Plants with Reliable Storage Facility

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Friday that he sees Renewable Energy like solar energy contributing more in meeting the power requirements of the Philippines in the years to come.

Cusi made the forecast as he attended the groundbreaking of a 150 megawatt (MW) solar power project in Concepcion, Tarlac.

According to the project proponent Solar Power Philippines, the solar farm will be utilizing Philippine-made solar panels and could power around 300,000 households once completed later this year.

“Currently, the country’s power demand is at 13,000 MW and our supply is barely 14,000 MW, hence we need more power as well as reserve power,” said the DOE Chief.

Technology neutral, the DOE nonetheless sees the continuous increase of solar power in the years to come, especially in helping attain the 25% ideal power reserve requirement of the country.

“The power storage of the plant’s proponent is a welcome development for the DOE and for the country because if solar can be stored already, we can source more of our power from solar energy,” said Cusi.

“Solar plants without a reliable storage facility would only be good for peaking and mid-merit, especially during daytime when the electricity demand spikes,” he added.

"Solar power plants with reliable storage capability can be most useful in island countries like the Philippines," Cusi clarified.

Cusi revealed that the renewable energy share of the country now stands at around 32%, which is the highest in the Southeast Asian region.

“We are mandated to secure sufficient, quality, reliable and reasonably-priced electricity and to develop our indigenous energy resources, thus we are open to any technology to achieve these objectives,” Cusi concluded.