MTB Pinoy riders win medals in Ontario
MTB Pinoy riders win medals in Ontario
On the Podium: OPM Team Pogi and OPM Team NoPOrk4U with gold medalist CMBA.
By Jonathan B. Canchela
Filipino-Canadian mountain bikers are making their names known in MTB competitive races across Ontario.
Last September 27, several teams of Filipino-Canadian bikers won several medals in 2014 Fall Epic 8-Hour Rock & Roll MTB Relay presented by Specialized which was held in Hardwood Ski and Bike located in Lake Country region one hour north of Toronto.
Ontario Pinoy Mountain Bikers (OPM) -Team Pogi placed second over-all (silver medal) in 5-6 Person Club/Corporate category with clock time of less than 2 minutes from the gold medalist team. The team was composed of Team Captain Rogem Demata with team mates Edgar Tolentino, Michael Ybanez, Jeff Cabo, Jopet Maristela, and Elwin Bucariza.
In the same category, OPM-NoPork4U won 3rd place making a historic 2 Pinoy teams in a Top 3-podium race. Team Captain Mark Anthony Sarmiento led the team with fellow riders namely Eduardo Paraiso, Nelson Castro, Andrew Medina, Gabriel San Jose, and Lyle Bacus.
OPM Team Pogi with Canadian cross-country mountain biker and Olympian Emily Batty. (PHOTOS: TAN CANCHELA)
Other Pinoy teams that participated in the same category include Padyak Pinoy Toronto (PPT)-Boy Bawang, PPT-OMP Pacit Malabon, PPT-Pho88, PPT-Andrada Bros, PPT-Lucky Chan, PPT-Six n One, and PPT-Pork Bone, which placed 5th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 16th, and 17th respectively.
Another Pinoy team, OPM Livestrong won 11th place in the 3-4 Person Team Open category. Team Captain Edwin Pabitu led his team with renowned MTB rider Edwin Ampolitod with Brian Ouano, and Ramon Palao.
Biker Carlos Arnaiz of Team OMP-Tagpuan made his spot in the Solo Male Master 40+ category by winning 5th in the race.
The Epic 8 Hour race was designed to “take place over an 8-hour time frame on a 10 km loop course which starts and finishes at the same location. The object is not to finish first, but to complete the greatest number of laps before the end of the event. Only one member of the team is on the course at any one time, in other words you take turns riding.”
Aside from Epic 8 Hour race, Pinoy MTB riders also participate in other annual MTB competitions like Albion Hills 24hrs, Paris to Ancaster, Lake to Lake, Barry Roubaix, Kelso Race Series, and Tour de King.
Asked what is next for the groups after this epic wins in Hardwood, Edgar Tolentino said they need to train more to go for the gold.
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