Tough love waits in Sto. Domingo @ Carrera Habagat 2008



The driving force behind Habagat Outdoor, the popular brand of outdoor equipment and adventure racing gear is the passion and love for nature and care for the environment. No more, no less.

It was this passion led to the creation of Habagat Outdoor, and in 2000, the Carrera Habagat. Habagat head honcho Randy Su explains that Carrera Habagat was an apt event that celebrated the company’s passion and support for adventure racing and eco-awareness. It also became a practical laboratory of sorts, where Habagat products can be “field-tested.”

“In effect, we are practicing what we preach: It wouldn’t be Habagat if it was not built by hand and tested by nature,” smiles Randy. “The business and development of quality and innovative products for practical and outdoor use, and adventure racing simply grew out of our love for nature and the outdoors.”

Carrera Habagat is considered the country’s toughest and most grueling adventure race. It is a multi-day and multi-discipline event where teams are confronted with orienteering and navigation, cross-country running, mountain biking, paddling, climbing, as well related rope skills..

Another thrust of Carrera Habagat is the introduction and development of awareness for the environment and eco-tourism. “One of the most important things that the Carrera touches on is the appreciation for the environment and of nature. In the Carrera, the countryside becomes your ally, the sea becomes your guide, and the locals become your friends, says Nadine. “Habagat does its best to showcase the many beautiful places that may be found all over the country, not just in the more popular ones. It’s not uncommon for our participants to exclaim they never expected to see places in a particular locality or LGU, that are so beautiful, and yet unknown to anyone else.”

For the 2008 Carrera Habagat, all roads will lead Sto. Domingo, Albay. This coastal municipality faces the Pacific Ocean on the east, and the noble Mount Mayon in the northwest. Sto. Domingo is known for its rare and exotic black sand beaches, which are exactly like the ebonine beaches of the island of Hawai’i (the main island of the Hawai’i state) – sought after and famous throughout the world. This rare and magnificent beachline forms part of the Albay Gulf coastline. The locals say that this rare type of black volcanic beach sand was formed from the erosion of ground lava, and is said to have therapeutic benefits. Very small specimens of several gemstones (including ruby, sapphire, and diamond) may, in fact, be found in black sand.

This year marks the first Carrera ever to be held in Luzon – in Sto. Domingo, Albay, with its exotic magma-black sandy beaches and dreamy landscapes. Nadine Vallejos, 2008 Carrera Habagat event coordinator, says that the organizers are expecting a large field – bigger than any of the previous Carrera events. “We’ve always had a lot of teams from across the country, especially those coming from Manila and Eastern Visayas. With this year’s race being held in Sto. Domingo, Albay, we’re expecting that teams from up north won’t miss the chance to join the Carrera.” Carrera Habagat is known for fielding the best of the country’s adventure racing teams. Team Santorini and the Philippine Mount Everest Team, are just two of the team-participants who consistently sign up for each of the past Carreras, expected to sign up for this year’s race.

To know more about the 2008 Carrera Habagat, for race details, registration requirements and how to sign up, check out the Events page of the company, email the secretariat through events@habagat.com, or call or SMS through 0917.320.9298 / 0922.820.0696.

The 2008 Carrera Habagat “Isang Linggo sa Sto. Domingo” is co-presented by Habagat and the Sto. Domingo Municipality, under the auspices of Mayor Celso de los Angeles. This year’s Carrera is sponsored by T.W.O., Vertigo Wall Climbing Center, Dot Region 5, Graphicstar, Topway Intl., V12 Radgear, Pitman Apparels, Baye, Fluidsurf, Blood Red, Virginia Foods Corp., Trans Asia Shipping,
Julies’ Franchising Corp. Media sponsors are: 8Thumbs, Bite Magazine, Sun.Star Daily, Cebu Daily News, RCTV Channel 36, ABS CBN Davao and Living Asia Channel.


About Carrera Habagat

Carrera Habagat is one of the initiatives that Habagat Outdoor has instituted and held yearly on some of the most challenging environments that abound in our beautiful, island-studded country. The Carrera, as it is fondly called, is a multi-discipline, multi-day sports challenge that pits the teams with a chosen terrain in various events like orienteering and land navigation, paddling, mountain-biking, and other events with only basic navigation tools and skills given, and a tight schedule to follow from one spot to the other.