MANILA, Philippines ? The ?holy grail? of triathlon is finally coming to the shores of the Philippines as the country hosts for the first time the prestigious Ironman event. Dubbed the ?Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines,? it will be held on August 23 at the CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC) in the Bicol Region.

The ultimate test of endurance participated by the fittest athletes in the world, the brand-name Ironman incorporates the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running into one physically and mentally intense event. World-class Ironman, such as 2007 World Champion Chris McCormack, eight-time Ironman New Zealand champion Cameron Brown and 11-time Ironman champ Lisa Bentley, among others, have already signed up to joining the Ironman 70.3 Philippines. They will be competing for as much as $25,000 in prize money.

Sunrise Events Inc. president Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, the man responsible for bringing in and organizing the Ironman 70.3 Philippines, said the race has three goals: to create a memorable experience for the triathletes by experiencing first hand the Filipino hospitality and other attractions offered in the country; to locally develop the sport of triathlon; and to create a world-class event by making it among the top international sporting events in the region.

A Half Ironman, the Ironman 70.3 Philippines is still more than twice the distance of an Olympic triathlon: 1.9-kilometer swim, 90-kilometer bike and 21.1-kilometer run (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run, hence 70.3). The Ironman distance is 3.8-kilometer swim, 180- kilometer bike and a full marathon of 42.2- kilometer run. The standard or Olympic distance is 1.5- kilometer swim, 40- kilometer bike and 10- kilometer run.

?The Philippines doesn?t have a world-class triathlete yet so we thought the Ironman 70.3 would be just right for us,? Uytengsu said. ?Many people ask about doing a real triathlon, referring to an Ironman, but I can assure you that an Olympic-distance race is quite taxing itself,? he said.

Uytengsu said the Ironman 70.3 Philippines offers a relay for a group of three members. Available in several categories?men, women, mixed, corporate and collegiate?the relay division is designed to make new participants discover the joy and challenge of the sport.

Certainly not the sport that requires an athlete to be 7?2?, such as basketball, for instance, Uytengsu is optimistic that over time the country will be able to produce world-class triathletes. ?All you need is guts?a lot of guts, discipline and knowledge on the science behind such endurance sport,? he said.

A special prize money for the Filipino athlete is also up for grabs: first place, P50,000; second, P30,000; third, P20,000 for both men and women.

Uytengsu said the event was well-timed for pros as well since it was just seven weeks away from the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He said Ironman 70.3 Philippines was also an excellent training for the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Florida. The two annual events every October and November are the most prestigious Ironman events in the world.

Since its dry run April 5, the ?Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines? has attracted more than 240 participants from all over the world. Triathletes from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Slovakia will be flying into the country this August. Uytengsu expects even more countries to confirm participation in the next few weeks.

?We also want to encourage triathletes and their families to explore other parts of this beautiful country. We show our support to Tourism Secretary Ace Durano by promoting sports tourism in the country,? he said.

Mindful of security, Uytengsu, along with the World Triathlon Corp., owner of the brand-name Ironman, decided to hold the event at the CWC, where Camarines Sur Governor LRay Villafuerte assured of closing roads in the area, which are critical for the bike leg of the race.

The race course kicks off at the large lagoon of the CWC, completes an out and back loop before running up to the smaller lagoon. Triathletes will have a short but sweet sweeping view of the ocean on their bike route, and will run multiple loops throughout CWC through paved sections of rice paddies with the majestic view of Mount Isarog as backdrop. This route, said Uytengsu, will also make the event a spectator-friendly race.

Register at the official website www.ironman703phil.com. Fee is $200, while groups of three for relay can register under a collegiate or corporate setup for $300.

The ?Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines? is sponsored by Asia Brewery?s Cobra Energy Drink, Globe Telecoms and the Department of Tourism. Official carriers are the Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines. Other sponsors include Solar Sports, ABS-CBN Publishing, Philippine Star, Gatorade, Timex, Oakley, New Balance, SKI Construction, Hammer Gel and Alaska Milk.