Team Summer Breezers Leads in DBP Roro Race Siargao Leg

Our Manila – Siargao flight schedule was too late for us to catch the first leg of DBP Roro Race 2009 which was held in Siargao Island.

Siargao Island, Surigao, home to the top surfing wave “Cloud Nine,” is dubbed as the surfing capital of the Philippines, and is a venue for international surfing events.

Team Summer Breezers

Gen. Luna, Siargao, served as the first stop in the “Ready Set, RORO” DBP Interisland Race, an action-packed P1M adventure race. The Development Bank of the Philippines kicked off the opening festivities with a motorcade and a brief program graced by Surigao del Norte governor Robert Ace Barbers and DBP President and CEO Reynaldo G. David. Competing teams were presented, followed by the ceremonial flag-off.

The ten teams embarked on the first leg of a rigorous series of challenges designed to test their brain, brawn, and mettle as they hie off on a treasure hunt for products of national pride throughout the six-day race.

From the opening ceremonies at the Gen. Luna Boulevard, the teams raced to their first clue, mounted on top of tall poles which they had to climb. The first clue led them to a fenced area, where, in the Surigaonon tradition of crab-harvesting called tikyabang, the teams had to catch ten crabs.

From the crabbing pit, teams had to race to the Siargao Inn for their next checkpoint, where each team had to chow down on ten pieces of the local surf board-shaped bread known as “Pan de Surf,” then off they sped to the Jacking Horse surf site, where a team member had to paddle a long board. Teams then rallied to the pit stop set at the Gen. Luna church.

Team Summer Breezers, composed of friends and ex-cheerleaders Joei Calixto and Chal Lontoc-del Rosario with tv actor Thou Reyes, was off to a strong start in the first leg, and was the first team to arrive at the pit stop.

“With my teammates’ cheerleading experience, we were able to easily devise a boosting system to retrieve the first clue,” says Reyes.

Unfazed by the biting crabs, team Summer Breezers powered through the Pan de Surf Challenge, where a little ingenuity went a long way.

“We actually soaked the bread in water, so it would be easier to swallow,” reveals Calixto.

“We got through the longboard quickly because Joei knew how to do it,” adds Chal. “But it was the kids of Siargao that really helped us clinch first place, walking with us and showing us the shortcut, and encouraging us along the way.”

While ecstatic over their fist win, team Summer Breezers are determined to stick to their game plan: start strong and finish strong.

Meanwhile, team Island Hoppers, composed of best friends Taj Almonte and Kixs Lagria with celebrity partner Serena Dalrymple, was the last team to check in at the pit stop, as the day’s challenges proved to be grueling.

“With all the running we had to do, my legs kept cramping up and we had to stop several times to massage them so I could keep on running,” narrates Lagria.

The Pan de Surf challenge was also hard, because we were in a hurry to get it done and it was harder to swallow,” states Almonte.

Celebrity member Serena Dalrymple reveals that the longboard was also another challenge for the team. “None of us have surfing experience, and it was harder than we thought it would be.”

Island Hoppers team with Serena Dalrymple

Fortunately for team Island Hoppers, the first leg is a predetermined, non-elimination leg, so they will race on in the second leg. On the next leg, teams will be released in the order by which they arrived at the pit stop, with 2-minute intervals in between. The adventure continues as the ten teams go forth on their quest to discover the Philippines and bag the P1M grand prize.

For race updates, or to vote for your favorite teams, log on to www.dpbrororace2009.com . check out more DBP Roro Race 2009 Photos

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