KONQER comes to Saipan

KONQER chief operating officer Kaz Endo makes a presentation at the Rotary Club of Saipan meeting yesterday. (Kimberly A. Bautista)

The first KONQER competition is set for Saipan this weekend and has already enticed 500 individuals to take on the obstacle challenge.

According to KONQER chief operating officer Kaz Endo, the event promotes wellness with a mix of fun that is reminiscent of childhood memories. The mission is to promote wellness through play.

During Endo’s presentation at the Rotary Club of Saipan meeting yesterday, he said the inspiration of the course design came to him when he realized that his children did not have the childhood he remembers.

According to Endo, he remembers the fun he used to have in a playground. To him, the playground was where all the children used to be; it was a place to have fun as well as to get active.

The first Konqer event was held in Guam in 2016. It turned out to be a great success so it was decided that the event should be introduced to Palau and now Saipan.

The Saipan event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 9, and will start off with a beach run from the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan to the main course at the Gov. Eloy S. Inos Peace Park.

The event aims to promote not only wellness, but to also team building. The course is meant to challenge every individual to achieve the goal of completing the course.

Endo is certain that every individual will be able to complete the obstacle course. He said the course was designed to be challenging, but it was also designed to be completed by everyone, whether they are male, female, child, youth, out of shape, and professional athletes. Endo said he has witnessed children complete the course, a 400-lb man complete the course, corporate teams finish the course, and more. According to Endo he even witnessed professional athletes struggle to complete the course.

For the upcoming event, there would be 30 obstacles that include man-made and natural obstacles.

There will be no rules in completing the course. An individual may use anything they need, as long as they complete the course.

Endo said that over 500 participants have already registered for the Saipan KONQER event. This doesn’t include the free registrants (14 years old and below).

There will be four categories to chose from—Enduro, completion, business, and sprints.

The entire community is invited to take part in this event as well as tourists. Interested individuals are welcome to sign up online or sign up on the day of the event. Registrants will pay a fee of $75 to participate in KONQER Saipan.

The event will also bring in 80 individuals from other areas that want to compete in Saipan’s KONQER event.
The public is also invited to watch. There will be food and a beer garden.