Jazy, Kimiko win pre-HOTM

The Pre-Hell of the Marianas 50K Fun Ride turned out to be a heaven for 49 riders who cruised through Saipan villages in good weather and completed the race crash and injury free.

A hustle-free race, which started from San Antonio and had participants passing through Koblerville, Airport Road, San Vicente, Papago, Laolao Bay Golf Resort, Isa Drive, Kingfisher Golf Links, Capitol Hill, Sadog Tasi, Tanapag,
San Roque, and at top of the Radar Station on Chalan Matuis, helped four riders finish on top of their field.

Guam’s Jazy Garcia was the first rider in the road bike category to reach the peak of the Radar Station in one hour, 44 minutes, and 47 seconds.

Guam had a 1-2 finish in the road bike division with Bobby Mandapat timing in at 1:45:02, beating Saipan’s Tyce Mister, who settled for third after clocking in at 1:46:35.

Twenty-one other riders competed in the road bike category with Lewie Tenorio (1:47:43), Florian Briag (1:48:09), Kieran Daly (1:48:44), Butch Sublemente (1:48:52), Renato Calage (1:53:19), Dirk Sharer (1:54:02), and Cesar Fortaleza (1:58:01) making it to the Top 10.

Other finishers in the road bike division were Willy Barbo (2:03:03), Russ Quinn (2:04.38), Philip Gauang (2:06:01), Manny Sitchon (2:07.45), Fred Camacho (2:11:21), Florence Antonio (2:15:38), Direncio Barbo (2:21:28), Danilo Paquerez (2:21:40), Andy Nutting (2:23:54), Joshua Berger (2:26:33), Shogo Ando (2:37:16), Steve Nutting (2:3:14), Cooper Graf (2:41:33), and Michael Johnson (2:52:21).

Twenty-three riders joined the mountain bike division with Gary Bandoja finishing ahead of the pack recording 1:53:53. Placing second and third were Federico Fernandez (2:02:34) and Antonio Aguilar (2:06:25).

Completing the Top 10 were Mario Galang (2:10:11), Ernesto Apostol (2:10:13), Rogelio Valdez (2:15:19), Ken Pierson (2:18:12), James Barry (2:19:15), Alexander Racoma (2:20:41), and Alex Tangcoy (2:24:34).

Also joining the mountain bike race were Jim Arenovski (2:27:07), Jeffrey Diyco (2:29:42), Joseph Liberato (2:37:02), Chris Fryling (2:39:52), Silvano Tatako (2:41:27), Larry Calayag (2:41:47), Bernard Laborce (2:45:20), Nomer Mangalinao (2:50:43), and Antonio Ricando (2:52:20).

In the women’s division, Kimiko Hasegawa was the first finisher in the road bike timing in at 2:15:58, and beating Kanae Quinn (2:21.52).

Heather Kennedy won the mountain bike category, clocking in at 2:23:30, and outracing Mamiko Berger (2:34:38).

Sunday’s race was a warmup for the 2008 Hell of the Marianas 100km Race, which will hit the road on Dec. 6

For more information or to register, contact Cole Pritchard or Kanae Quinn at 235-6231, ext. 5148 or ext. 5130 or email at seaexec@picsaipan. com or dosm@picsaipan. com.

The HOM will have competition in three divisions, namely the four-man team, two-man team, and solo.