Alicia biker shows true grit 

at Kinatkatay's brutal trails 

TAGBILARAN CITY, February 13 (PIA)--Bikers and trail runners called the Kinatkatay trails beautifully brutal, and yet a local biker who had the grit for the rough test proved it isn't the trails, it's the will. 

A motorcycle mechanic by day and a trail adventurer by noon patiently kept his pace where he knew his veteran competitors would be show-offs: in the flat tracks. 

Keeping a decent yet good striking distance from the lead pack, Del Monte Alicia native Gunayan Burato Ronnie Gunayan confessed he had to conserve on his energy because he knew what was coming: steep ascents that bikers unfamiliar with the trails have to go off-saddle. 

Now, he had to prove himself too, he, who never thought he could get on a bike, much more compete. 

His boss however lent him a bike to practice on the trails and compete on race day. 

A dirt-bike rider, Gunayan simply knows how to keep his cool, having been into the steepest hard trails of Cambaol in his noon-time date with the trails. 

And noontimes in tree-less trails of Cambaol to Sitio Binabaje is nothing short of baking. 

"We have pinned his hopes in him, seeing him pick the trails" Alicia extreme motorcycle rider Romulo Basalo Dasigan who occasionally sees the hardworking mechanic practice on his pacing at the peak of noon time. 

"His conditioning is great and his will is even tougher," Basalo, who thinks the Alicia native will have a high probability of winning even if pitted with true veterans in his beginners category. 

And true to form, Gunayan (#34) tailed five young riders and a veteran at the gun start of the Beginners Category of the Kinatkatay sa Binabaje 3rd Alicia MTB Festival February 11, when the bikers scrambled to get their gears to high, in the flat barangay roads leading to Cambaol. 

"I know they are fast and capable, but they did not know the Cambaol and Binabaje trails like I do," Gunayan timidly shared. 

A kilometer from the Cambaol Barangay Hall crossing, Gunayan started to cut and take over the lead. From there, he never looked back. 

Gunayan completed the 16 kilometer track in 40:15, which was 25 seconds ahead of a veteran athlete and trail runner Andy Roadboy Toniacao (#30) of Hilongos Leyte who finished in 40:40 seconds. 

Also keeping Tuñacao busy while Gunayan attempted to stretch the distance was Progreso, Alicia native Rolito Nocalan (#33), who pressured the trail run podium finisher to tire. 

Nocalan crossed the finish line at 40:55 seconds. 

About a minute later, came at a feverish pedal pace John Mark Acman (#36) of Garcia Hernandez at 39:15, while Francis Notarte of Hilongos (#31) came in at 38:25 seconds to occupy the last podium winner in Kinatkatay's Beginners category. 

30 and below age category 

In the age group category: 30 years old and below, Calape's Adelino Buligan Jr., (#23) homed in at 1:10:25, some 30 seconds before Paseo de Loon's Ernesto Garcia (#13) of Tagbilaran City who tailed at 1:10:55 for the second place. 

Baybay City's Ronald Subayno (#08) checked in after the 16 kilometer trail at 1:11:12 followed by Christian Baquero of Dauis (#10) at 1:25:15 and Deven Valderoza (#11) of Tagbilaran in fifth, at 1:28:15. 

31-44 age category 

In the 31-44 years old category, Talibon's Roger Torreon (#21) came in first after the grueling single tracks, fire lines and carved trails in palm oil plantations at 1:20:02, followed by Valencia's Jobier Visto (#40) at 1:20. 

Third in the category is (#15) Anthony Rabida (Garcia Hernandez) at 1:21:40, Richard Inson of Carmen (#16) at 1:25:55 and (#20) John Phillip Burra (Pilar) filling fifth at 1:22:32. 

45 years old and above category 

In the golden category, homegrown Ben Amora (Alicia) with race number 24 used his advantage of familiarity to the trails as he zoomed through the obstacles in 1:20:32 with Pilars Berting Escatron (#29) on his heels, finishing at a good 1:20:45. 

Also another oldie favorite Alejandro Macalam of Duero (#27) sprinted to the crossing line at 1:21:18 to stretch a considerable lead from his closest pursuer Joel Torrefranca (#26) of Carmen finishing at 1:26:15. 

Over 15 minutes later, Joselito Galbo (#28) of Garcia Hernandez crossed the finish line at 1:45:56. 

Kinatkatay sa Binabaje is Alicia's extreme mountain bike race offer, a race largely held at the trails of The Alicia Panoramic Park, a series of rolling hills that peak at 350 meters towering above Alicia and offers a panoramic view of at least five Bohol towns and the Bohol Sea. 

The hills, generally covered with cogon grasses without trees form a carpet of all the hues of green and the trails that traverse the hills and over the ridges have been perfect for extreme mountain bikes and dirt bike enthusiasts. 

Alicia locals have started to cash in on the treks that have been coming, and the local officials hope that the bike festival gives them the free promotions they could only afford. 

It is all about helping people help themselves, Alicia Mayor Marnilou Ayuban said. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)