Two win side events of Ayuda Mt. Bike Race

Larry Malig and Nuradin Gutzwiller won the side events of last Saturday’s Inaugural Ayuda Charity Mountain Bike Race.

Malig bested a six-person field in the eight-mile beginners’ category of the event, while Gutzwiller won over two other competitors in the two-mile competition for children.

Racing through the finish with a time of 20:31, Malig was a mere six seconds ahead of eventual runner-up Nong Tatao (20:37), while accomplished runner Ronald Villafria came in third (21:01).

Alexander Guzman (22:54), Gary Bandoja (25:32), and the race’s lone female cyclist, Betty Johnson (28:13), also took part in the race.

Gutzwiller, for his part, finished in a time of 10:53 to win the two-mile children’s course. Ernest Sablan (13:10) and Steven Goodwin (19:37) also took part in the race.

Seasoned triathletes Butch Sublemente and Mieko Carey topped the open category of last Saturday’s Inaugural Ayuda Charity Mountain Bike Race.

Sublemente reached the finish line at the American Memorial Park in 57:02, while Carey finished sixth overall and tops among women cyclists, timing in at 1:03:21.

A total of 20 mountain bike enthusiasts took part the open category, including Tyce Mister and Nate Hawley who came in second and third in the men’s division behind Sublemente with times of 57:20 and 57:22, respectively.

Dr. Florian Braig (59:12) and Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation president Ross Quinn (1:01:17) completed the Top 5.

For the women, Heather Kennedy finished second in a time of 1:20:22, while Kimiko Hasegawa came in third, crossing the finish line in 1:31:27.

Marianas Visitors Authority PR/CP manager Martin Duenas said proceeds from the Inaugural Ayuda Charity Mountain Bike Race will go into a charitable trust fund account that will provide an opportunity for non-profit organizations to submit a grant application. The event was also held as part of the Tourism Month Activities.

The Inaugural Ayuda Charity Mountain Bike Race was sponsored by MVA and Hyatt Regency Saipan. Pacific Islands Club, Yano’s Ent., Inc., Saipan World Resort, Saipan Grand Hotel, Tasi Tours and Bus Transportation, Northern Marianas Athletics, Ross Quinn (who helped clear the course), and landowners in Mt. Tapochao were also critical in the event’s successful staging.