The Ford Forza Triathlon Team is preparing for an even stronger finish for this year’s Ironman 70.3 in Cebu this August 6.
With new members and a more rigorous training that began earlier in the year, the Ford Philippines-backed triathlon team gears up for one of the biggest triathlon races in Asia which will gather an anticipated 2,500 athletes from 45 different countries.
“We are excited to partner with the Ford Forza triathlon team who has showcased their commitment and dedication to the sport over the years. For years, not only have they gone further, they have also served as an inspiration to a bigger majority because of their life stories and journeys and their motivation to make it big with the sport,” said Ford Philippines AVP for Marketing Prudz Castillo.
The Ford Forza Triathlon Team is led by businessman Gianluca Guidicelli and boasts of a diverse roster of different backgrounds, including actors Matteo Guidicielli and Ivan Carapiet, TV host and sports correspondent Dyan Castilleo, entrepreneur Giorgia Guidicelli, lawyer and cancer survivor Joey Torres, long-time triathletes Elmo Clarabal, Joseph Miller, business manager Ian Solana, triathlon coach Noel Salvador, and businessman Jomer Lim.
This year, the team expanded its roster to include 20 members, aged between 10 and 50 years. New members include businessmen Romeo Castro and Tyron Tan, 2013 Pinoy Biggest Loser participants and brothers Ralph David Yu ad Yves Christian Du, sports enthusiasts Patricia Espino, Donikko Fernan and Christian Saladaga, and cyclist Ica Maximo.
To date, the team has gone further and provided its members with everything they need to race, including a free ride for a whole year and rigorous training sessions to condition them for Ironman 70.3.
“The team is especially driven this time. We have new members, and everyone is just excited to race harder and tougher this year. I have great confidence in my team—we’re strong. We are called ‘Forza’ after all. Having Ford, who is just as tough as we are, to back us up once again, only fuels our desire to keep racing and to keep inspiring,” said Gianluca Guidicelli.
Through the continued partnership, the Ford Forza triathlon team showcases just how Ford vehicles like the Ranger can complement the lifestyles and personalities of triathletes—built tough, capable and versatile.
Earlier in the year, the team competed in races such as the Xterra Danao in April and the 5150 Subic Bay Philippines in June. The team also hosted Giro d’Luca, an annual cycling event held in Bohol that brings together cyclist enthusiasts with almost 1,000 people having participated this year.
From the Ironman 70.3 in Cebu, the Forza Triathlon Team is headed straight to the 2017 Mt. Mayon ASTC Triathlon Asian Cup in Bicol on August 17 and then at the 5150 Triathlon in Bohol on November 5.