Heavy traffic on Palm Sunday as Davao hosts Int’l triathlon

Main roads will be closed on March 25 for Ironman 70.3 triathlon

DAVAO CITY—Main roads from Bajada to Tagum will be closed for an international triathlon event set here, March 25, Palm Sunday.

The public is advised to avoid the main roads as vehicular passage is prohibited as the roads will be closed for the whole day event which starts at dawn and will end at 3:30 in the afternoon.

The Alveo Ironman 70.3, a triathlon event participated by local and foreign athletes will be hosted by Davao City on March 25, with events starting as early as March 18.

Cebu used to host this event for the past six years with 2,700 participants coming in for the swim, bike, and run course. Davao will be expecting at least 1,800 participants.

The main event on the 25th will begin with a one-loop swim at the Azuela Cove in Lanang where they will go back for their first transition. The triathletes will exit onto the main highway to start the 90 km bike course traversing the roads leading to Lasang, Panabo, Carmen and heading all the way to the turnaround point at Robinson’s Place in Tagum City.

Participants will then head back to Azuela Cove for the second transition. They will exit out to JP Laurel Avenue towards Victoria Plaza to complete the two-loop 21.1 km run that will end on the finish line at the Azuela Soccer Field.

Series of meetings were held and participated in by the local government units of Tagum, Carmen, Panabo and Davao City together with different government agencies to iron out the preparations for the said event.

The Department of Public Works and Highways was tasked to clear the roads of any humps and potholes to secure the race track. The agency will also clear the road in Brgy. Mahayag in Buhangin which will be the alternate passage for vehicles going to and out of Davao City.

Traffic advisories and newspaper ads were also sent out to the public in advance regarding the road closure for the said event.