UC tanker favored in today’s 4th Olango Challenge

UC tanker favored in today’s 4th Olango Challenge
By Mars G. Alison
Cebu Daily News
April 30, 2011

UNIVERSITY of Cebu's (UC) Paula Abigail Vega will be a favorite in the 4th Olango Challenge dubbed “Swim for Nature, Swim for the Future,” which gets underway today at the Tambuli East beach Resort in Lapu-Lapu City.

Vega, who is also a member of the Cebu Blue Marlin (CBM) Swimming Club, ruled the women's competitive category in the 1st and 2nd Olango Challenge.

However, in last year's 3rd undertaking of this open-water swimming competition, Vega only managed a third place finish behind first placer Erika Lukang and second placer Loren Dale Echavez.

Lukang has not registered for the event while Echavez is in Hong Kong for another swimming competition.

Lukang could still surprise Vega today as organizers will still be accepting entries until 9 .m. today in Tambuli in time for the race briefing. The competition is set to start at 10 a.m.

Vega is one of the 111 participants who have so far paid the registration fee, according to Riva Vales of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

Aside from Vega, other notable personalities who will be competing are former top triathlete Amale Mendezona-Jopson and former top swimmer Larissa Ang.

This competition is organized by the PBSP in partnership with the Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA) as a fund-raising activity for the benefit of Olango residents. It is also being supported by the Lapu-Lapu City government.

Although they are still expecting more to submit their last minute entries today, Vales confirmed that this year's edition has gathered the most number of participants since the 1st Olango Challenge in 2008.