The 2015 Motorally Elite Finishers
Spyder has been the leading brand in athletic performance gears and apparel with over a decade of experience in providing affordable, stylish & international quality products to athletes and enthusiasts in cycling, marathon, triathlon and motorcycling. They have grown over the years to have 122 locations nationwide in nearly all SM Malls and other malls in every key city including Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, etc. and with nearly 40,000 followers online.
With the same thrust at its core, Spyder took the next step and organized a motorcycle endurance challenge to provide an avenue for riders to test the limits of their resolve, their skills, their machines and to become part of motorcycle history. Partnered up with the two most well-known brands in the industry – the Spyder Wheeltek Motorally 2015 powered by Petron was envisioned and realized where participants travel 1,600km throughout Luzon within 24 hours.
Wheeltek, a most trusted distributor of quality motorcycles with an extensive national distribution network of stores became the official checkpoint partner & deployed capable teams to man all the checkpoints and provided participants with food, refreshments & assistance. Petron on the other hand, provided Petron gas stations as checkpoint venues and subsidized gasoline for all the participants. With the two powerhouse brands alongside Spyder, it was dubbed to be a historic event.
The riders were flagged off at the Starmall Prima Taguig at exactly midnight (12am of Feb 21) where they rode and endured the traffic of Metro Manila, the long stretches of Zambales & Isabela and the twisting roads of the Cordilleras and crossed the finish line at the Sierra Madre Resort in Tanay. The coveted title of “Elite Finisher” was given only to those completing the challenge under 24 hours while other awards were given for those with longer finish times. Only 16 out of the 133 participants attained this “Elite” title, the top of the list of which were Mr. Amarjit Sanghera on his Ducati Multistrada 1200 (1st place), Mr. Toto Villanueva on his BMW GS R1200 and Mr. Ramon Castillo on his Suzuki V-Strom 1000 (2nd place) and Mr. Juanito Sipin riding his Kawasaki Ninja 650 (3rd place). There also rose an exceptional one percenter (1%) from the group who attained the same “Elite” status but using only sub400cc bikes – Mr. Svenson Galutera and Mr. Cloyde Pilapil with their Kawasaki Ninja 250 & Yamaha Sniper 135 respectively; a truly exceptional display of skills despite formidable odds.
Seen throughout the event are sponsor friends of Spyder – Suzuki Philippines, Inc., JM Mirasol Advertising, Davidson Hotel Tabuk, Cycleseal, Overdose Motoproducts, Ahavia Spa and Lounge, YKL Color, Touratech & WRU who provided much needed support by way of logistical materials, venue props & equipment, award items, raffle prizes and so much more. These are the names that made the Spyder Motorally 2015 a reverberating success.
And as with any successful event, it is captured through the feedback of its audience and participants. “I am not a finisher but still a proud participant” says Mark Benosa, one of the many who rode the distance but did not make it in time to the finish line. Others like Arthur Federico are already “rearing to sign up for the next epic ride”. In the final hours before everyone headed home, there was a mixture of joyous celebrations of achievements mixed with sad realizations that the adventure was over.
With a strong alliance formed by Spyder who provides quality safety gears, Wheeltek who provides quality motorcycles and Petron who provides quality oils and fuels, riders all over the country can expect nothing less than another epic adventure in 2016 and in the years to follow. Ride safe everyone & Godspeed!