Three teams in the Asia-Pacific region are vied for the top spot in the Third Ironman Virtual Race Team Challenge. Australia, Japan and the Philippines fielded teams for this virtual race. The competition spanned three weeks in May 2021.
Top prize was $5,000 to give to a chosen charity and Team Philippines picked NVC Foundation as its beneficiary. $5,000 translates to 40,000 Mingo Meals. Things were neck and neck throughout the competition but ultimately, Team Philippines emerged victorious!
Team Captain Ines Santiago and her teammates: Don Velasco, Ian Banzon, Chloe Jane Uy, Ronald Molit, Ani de Leon Brown, and Jael Wenceslao competed in this grueling 3-week challenge. But there were other indispensable members of the team—the online viewers.
While the elite athlete of the Ironman VR Team Challenge squad ran, biked and swam their way to victory, online supporters helped Team Philippines win. Their votes during the Social Media Challenge gave the team precious points that helped them edge out the other teams.
As strict Covid protocols were still in place, the official turnover of the winnings was virtual just as the race had been. This turnover took place on our 11th anniversary.
During the ceremony, we informed Team Captain Ines Santiago that we would be sending her a trophy made by our Artisans of Hope out of upcycled Nespresso capsules. Santiago said that out of all the awards she’s won for racing, this was her favorite.
The prize money was used to enroll 256 children in Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro in the six-month Mingo Meals Feeding Program. May they grow up to be strong and healthy just like our Ironman athletes!
