Kabiriel, Berger top Run 4 Ron II

Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel and Mamiko Oshima-Berger won early Sunday morning’s Run 4 Ron II, a fundraiser for fellow runner Ronald Villafria’s trip to the Fuji Tozan Race in July.

Kabiriel, who likes to call himself the Road Runner Bunny, completed the 5-kilometer course in a time of 18:54, tops overall. He was followed by Tom Linden and Caesar Danao who checked in at 19:08 and 20:01, respectively.

Kabiriel said he hardly broke into a sweat in taking the victory.

“Ron is my friend and that’s why I came out to support him for his race in Japan. I also need to train for Australia set for July. Today was a good run. I thought I was just going to go out and do an easy run. I thought somebody could just take the win. But nobody wanted to go so I just went to get the win. It was just an easy win for me,” he said.

Oshima-Berger, for her part, finished the short run in 20:34 to top the women’s division with Dawn Hammermeister and Suzy Kindell coming second and third with their respective times of 25:15 and 25:55.

The Top 3 in the Run 4 Ron took home an assortment of in-kind prizes that included lunch buffet gift certificates, gift bags, and energy drinks from the event’s generous sponsors.

Villafria said a total of 71 participants signed up and paid the $15 entry fee for the event. Not all, however, opted to take part in the run and only a little over 40 competed in the early morning jaunt around the American Memorial Park.

Run 4 Ron II started at the AMP amphitheater and had runners proceed to the Micro Beach pavilion before going right toward the old Puerto Rico dumpsite and back.

Proceeds from Run 4 Ron II will help defray Villaria’s expenses in taking part in the 2009 Fuji Mountain Race, or Fuji Tozan Race.

Villafria took part in the 2008 edition of the race in July 25, 2009, and finished the 36-kilometer trek up and down the 12,388-foot mountain in four hours and 20 minutes.

The Mt. Fuji Marathon or Fuji Tozan Race is composed of two legs, a 15-kilometer race to the fifth station of the mountain and a 21-km race all the way to the top. The final six-kilometers of the race is also a trail run.

Villafria was one of only 6,000 participants that have been pre-screened to take part in the 2009 edition of the Fuji Mountain Race.

Businesses and individuals who handsomely donated to Villafria’s Mt. Fuji quest, include Salon de Manila, DFS Galleria, Pacific Islands Club Saipan, Hard Rock Café Saipan, LBT Appraisal, Auto Glass Pro, Fomacon Liner, GEC Pawnshop, Jazy Sportswear, Island Apparel, Coco Restaurant, Micronesian Brokers, Inc., Custom Construction, Docomo Pacific, IT&E, Bike Pro, MARPAC (Michellob), Traders Insurance, Saipan Shopping, Godfather’s Bar, Sherwin Williams, 888 Handyman Services, Western Union, Marianas Visitors Authority, Tan Holdings, Fiesta Resort & Spa, NRG-Shot (Distributed by Car Corp), Triple J, Bank Pacific, Steven Pixley, Susan Espanillo, Erwin Aquino, Bobby Mandapat, and John Ilao.