Subaru’s top 10 finalists grab Singapore stint

The unforgiving weather narrowed down the competitors to the final 10 competitors after eight hours.

TOP 10 finalists together with Subaru executives.

Only the toughest 10 competitors get to survive at this year’s Subaru Palm Challenge: Philippine Face-Off and grab the chance to compete in Singapore. It was a stormy Saturday morning, then. More than one hundred aspirants fought tooth and nail and endured fatigue to be the last person to keep his or her palm on one of the four new Subaru Foresters.

The day brought excitement with the unpredictable weather condition that shrouded BGC’s Amphitheater. Even experienced competitors Rheden Pinoliad and Mark Joseph Trinos, both part of the 2017 PH team, failed to make it to this year’s roster.

The unforgiving weather narrowed down the competitors to the final 10 competitors after eight hours. But all of them held their ground until the last second. Newbie Cyrus Corpuz outdid last year’s regional Palm Challenge country runner-up Juntie Flores.

Only three from the 2018 Philippine team made it this year, spearheaded by last year’s country winner — Filmark Bernante, along with long-time team captain Carlo Talahib, who has been donning the PH colors for eight years already. Mark Guballa, also a veteran, placed seventh in this year’s run.

The competition’s highlight, however, was the battle between veteran Reggie Purugganan and newcomer Nikko Blancada bagged the award by besting Blancada by just over nine seconds.

Here are the names of the top 10 finalists with their records: First-Reggie Purugganan (08:14:50); second- Nikko Paolo Blancada (08:14:41); third- Don Marc Gerard Pantaleon (08:13:25); fourth-Lordgie Vallente (08:12:48); fifth-Isaah Kevin Locsin (08:11:48); sixth-Filmark Bernante (08:11:29); seventh- Mark Alber Guballa (08:10:41); eighth- Joaquin Ireneo Fabros (08:10:29); ninth- Carlo Talahib (08:10:21); tenth- Cyrus Corpuz (08:07:30).

The 10 Filipino finalists are now set to represent the Philippines in the final round of the Subaru Palm Challenge from 2 to 5 November at Singapore.

The 18th edition of one of Asia’s largest and toughest endurance competitions will be held at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. The participating Filipinos vie to beat the current record time of 82 hours and 16 minutes.

If crowned, they get to drive home a brand-new Subaru Forester. They will face against four hundred other participants from Singapore, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.