Zambales launches sports fest to boost tourism

CANDELARIA, Zambales -- Zambales will stage its very own "Zamba Multisports Festival 2011" from March 18 to 20 on the beach strip of the serene Uacon Cove in an effort to market the province as a tourist and sports destination.

Zambales Gov. Hermogenes "Jun" Ebdane Jr. announced Wednesday night the province's coming out party in the field of sports, stressing "it's about time the country gets to know Zambales as a local government unit that is focused on youth and sports development."

"Before, people ask 'Where is Zambales?' or 'Where is Candelaria?'. With this Zamba Multisports Festival 2011, we are opening up the province not only as a tourist and sports destination, but eventually an economic hub as well," said Ebdane, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and public works secretary.

The Zamba Multisports Festival 2011 kicks off on March 18 with a 120-km cycling competition on an out-and-back course at the provincial capitol in Iba (via Sta. Cruz).

Day 2 on March 19 will see competitions in the Dawal Open Water Swimming Race, which will cover a 2-km open sea swim from the Dawal Beach Resort to picturesdque Potipot Island and back.

On the same day, the National Ultimate Black Sands Frisbee eliminations for the national series will be held on Uacon Cove's magnetized sand, after which a duathlon competition (5-km swim, 30-km bike, 3-km run) will be staged. The day will be capped by a Bikini Open at the Dawal Beach Resort.

Day 3 on March 20 will be highlighted by the Blacksands Triathlon.

Melvin Fausto of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) said the triathlon competition will be part of the National Age Group Triathlon Series which is focused on tapping young potentials for the national team.

According to Fausto, TRAP discovered a young potential in John Chicano of Sta. Cruz town, who is now a member of the national juniors pool.

The cycling event, which will have two categories (open and amateur), will have a maximum of 200 participants, while the triathlon competition will close its registry when it breaches 150.

Antonio Vasquez of the Ultimate Frisbee Association said the frisbee event will be part of their own national series which will culminate in a grand finals in Boracay this summer.

Ebdane hopes such sporting event will jumpstart Zambales as a tourism destination and at the same time push its economy.

"There are already Boracay, Siargao and La Union, and Zambales would like to gain its niche in the sports tourism industry," said Ebdane. "Zambales has the cleanest beaches that are practically undisturbed." (report from abs-cbnNEWS.com)