Biliran hosts national mountain bike race

NAVAL, Biliran – It’s more fun in Biliran province this summer as the province will host the national Enduro mountain bike competition on April 26 dubbed as the 1st Governor Gerardo J. Espina,Jr. Bike Festival.

Mountain bike racing and mountain bike trekking were the emerging sports hubby of Biliranons which started a few years back but now are already a fad sporting event to mountain bike racing and mountain bike trekking enthusiasts in Biliran province.

Lawyer Mario Lydinno R. Opena, Sangguniang Bayan member of Naval who is also the over-all event coordinator of Mt. Panamao Team Biliran Mountain Bike Club, revealed that the bike festival which is one of the activities in line with the provincehood anniversary celebration of Biliran province this year is composed of four major events.

The major events are as follows: 1) Bike Clinic and Exhibit on April 24 at the NSU Grounds and Oval to be attended by Nilo Estayo, Philippine national rider of the Southeast Asian and Asian games, Joyce Del Socorro,also a PH national rider and Ronald Lumbao of Enduro Pilipinas; 2) Bike Criterium Race on April 25 at the NSU Oval at 9:00 in the morning with mountain bike racers from regions 7 and 8 participating the event aside from local mountain bike racers; 3) Sikad-Sikad race on April 25 at 7:00 in the morning at the NSU Oval where cash prices will be given to the winners and participants are advised to wear helmet and shoes and to register at Naval Bike Supply near the Naval Central School; and 4) Enduro Mountain Bike Race at 7:00 in the morning at Sitio Biasong,Talahid,Almeria,Biliran.

Opena addded that the national bike event in Biliran province is the first part of the Great Visayan Trilogy which include the City of Catbalogan in Samar province and the town of Calubian in Leyte province.

Enduro Pilipinas, organizer of the national bike event that holds the opening of the 1st season of the first leg of Enduro Pilipinas Mountain Bike Race in February of last year in Biliran province is very willing to hold back the national bike event in the province of Biliran because of its very ideal bike trail, friendliness of the Biliranons, very supportive officials of the local government units and the impressive promotion of the biking culture of the active group of mountain bikers in the province.

He said the holding of the national bike event in Biliran province is one way of promoting the province as one of the country’s best mountain biking destination aside from promoting the province’s tourism industry.
Likewise, the national bike event is expected to generate more income for hotels, resorts and restaurants and will augment the income of people in transportation business especially the habal-habal (single motorcycle for hire) drivers, bike porters and trail workers, he added.

“The culture of biking, camaraderie and friendship will also be boosted in the province of Biliran with the holding of the national biking event”, Opena said. # (fj/rvictoria/PIA 8 Biliran)