Jazy Cup Tour De Marianas set this weekend

Bikers will hit the road this weekend for the Saipan stages of the 8th Annual Jazy Cup Tour De Marianas, which is sponsored this year by TakeCare.

Stage 1 will be the individual time trial on Saturday, Feb. 21, with the cyclists covering a distance of 7.5 kilometers from the Marianas Country Club to the Suicide Cliff (Hill Top) for both male and female participants.

There will be six age group categories to be contested in three divisions—Expert Division, Novice Division, and Mountain Bike Division—Junior (17 and below), Open (18-29), Submaster (30-39), Master (40-49), Senior (50-59), and Grandmaster (60 and above).

Stage 2 will be the road race on Sunday, Feb. 22, with a distance of 67 km for the expert and 33.5 km for novice and mountain bike.

Registration forms could be picked up at the Romy Bike Shop/Auto Glass Pro with telephone number 235-9037.

The Top 3 male and female expert overall finishers will win $300, $200, and $100, respectively. They will also receive medals.

The same prizes will be given away to the winners in the two Guam stages to be held March 14-15.

Stage 3 will be the road race on March 14 with the starting and finishing line to be located at the Ace Hardware Yigo via the main thoroughfares of Guam.

Competitors for the expert division will cover a distance of 76 km, while the novice division will have 52 km. Mountain bike riders, meanwhile, need to pedal for 26 km.

Stage 4 will feature the road race on hills and flats on March 14 with the starting and finishing line to be located at the Agana Shopping Center.

The distance for the expert would be 60 km, while the novice and the mountain bike will be 34 km.

Registration forms for the Guam race can be obtained at the Hornet Sporting Goods in Tamuning with telephone numbers 646-9191.

The overall male and female expert champion after the four stages will take home $500, $300, $200, respectively. They will be also awarded their corresponding trophies.

Entry fee for stages 1 and 2 is $35. while the fee for all stages is $60 and the fee for those who opt to pay and race per stage is $25.

Aside from TakeCare as the main sponsor, the other companies supporting the annual event include Tan Holdings Corp., MR Imaging Group, Mair Mair Spade and Thompson, Pacific Islands Club Saipan, Toro Bravo Bike Club, and Jazy Sportswear.

The proceeds will be for the benefit of the Jazy Garcia Sports Foundation.