01/12/2023
Piktaw Outdoor Equipment would like to extend our heartfelt commendation and express our deepest appreciation for the exceptional leadership and dedication displayed by the La Routa Race Director Sir Jason Garrido during the recent La Routa Adventure Race. Kudos! 👏
We are deeply grateful and honored to be part of this momentous event, giving all the glory to God! ☝️🙏😊
With the last team, FEAR youth of New Zealand, on their way home, I can now declare that LA ROUTA 2023 is officially closed.
Organizing any event is never easy, especially when it comes to setting up an expedition-type adventure race that involves so many variables beyond the organizer's control, such as weather conditions, terrain challenges, the racers' reactions to the course, and timing. Despite these difficulties, we strive to overcome them in the spirit of adventure racing, with the aim of promoting the sport, the location, and the culture.
I believe that adventure racing should be about more than just producing strong and competitive racers. Rather, it should aim to develop wholesome and respectful individuals, using the challenges encountered during the race as metaphors for life’s difficulties. Ultimately, we should all come out of the experience as better people, having met, accepted, and conquered the challenges along the way.
It has always been a dream to host an international adventure race and to showcase a homegrown race to the world. For this reason, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the great success of this event, including the racers, marshals, medical staff, coast guards, security personnel, administrative and logistics staff, and all the other volunteers. To make this goal come true, they all went above and beyond what was required of them. As the adage goes, “The thing that stand between a Mans’ life and his dream is often merely the will to try it, and the faith to believe it is possible.” (Richard Devos)
In behalf of LA ROUTA 2023 I would like thank everyone who has been a part of this adventure;
Gov. Gerard Roger Espina and the provincial government of Biliran for the logistical support. Biliran Island with its majestic mountains and dense forest has proven to be the ideal venue for adventure racing.
Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes and the Department of Tourism for the financial support and their advocacy in promoting nature and adventure tourism in Eastern Visayas.
Ms. Heidi Muller and the Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS) for the trust and allowing us to carry the ARWS name.
Our sponsors Pitman Outdoors PH, Habagat Outdoor Equipment Inc. Ladera Artspot & Advertising, Haven's Tourist Transport Rent-a-Car Tacloban, Lagalag Expedition, Fragoch Tourist Inn, Almeria Seafarers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ASEMCO), The North Face, Conquer Outdoor Equipment, Third World Outdoors, V12 Radgear, Fluidsurf, Crack Outdoor Products, and Piktaw Outdoor Equipmentfor providing the uniforms, lodging, prizes, and raffle items.
Thank you to Sir Jun Oliva and the Biliran Provincial Tourism Office personnel for being our collaborative partner and source of moral support.
Head marshal, Frienli Mesias, who scoured the island of Biliran in search of the best control sites then moving the marshals during the race with little time for rest.
To every control point marshal (there are too many to mention by name) for persistently staffing the control points despite constant mosquito attacks.
Nicole Zeta-Almaden, Abigail Raymundo, and the entire secretary team of LA ROUTA for their hard work in performing secretarial tasks
Victor Quincy Villero, our internal IT specialist, who painstakingly maintains our social media presence and keeps an eye on the real-time tracking so that viewers may watch online
Ms. Cielo Castro, who was by herself in Tacloban for assisting the teams’ transportation to and from the race venue
Richard Alibado and the entire logistics team for putting in countless hours, rain, or shine, to set up the headquarters, logistic hubs, and the start and finish lines
Mikko Cuevas, Doors Dural and Lav Anaviso, for assembling the high element and guaranteeing the competitors' safety throughout the abseil
Gil Madroñero and the rest of the mountain search and rescue crew for keeping a watchful eye on the teams as they made their way through the jungle trails
Thanks to Jay R and the other Mamanwa indigenous people for lending their extensive knowledge of the jungle trails to help the MOSAR crew.
A special thanks goes out to Jeremy, the head of the MDRRMO for Palapag Northern Samar, who was here on leave and participated in the MOSAR team even though the monsoon rains threatened to flood his own home town.
For serving as our logistics movers, Tommy Baguna, Gladys Tiu, and their pickup trucks
Lirios Bobims and Jaypeh Loreto the water marshals.
Joe, Horald Fajardo, Ryan Klye, and the mobile marshals who sipped about Biliran Island, passing along information and keeping an eye on the racing teams
Glen Ramirez, who provided the invaluable race photos
The MDRRMOs and medical personnel for providing health care to the racers
The Philippine Coast Guard and Bantay Dagat, who kept an eye on everything during the paddle and swim in the ocean
The Philippine National Police, for keeping everyone safe and secure
The people of Biliran for their kind hospitality and innumerable gestures of kindness shown to the competitors and marshals throughout the event.
Cham and my kids for the moral support
the racers without whom LA ROUTA 2023 would not have been an epic adventure.
And the Almighty for whom all things are made possible
Thank you all…
LA ROUTA 2023 signing off
Jason Garrido
Race Director
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