Obstacle Course Racing, a sport that has grown popular in Cebu, becomes more accessible to Cebuanos with the setting up of the first outdoor roofdeck pop-up facility at the Amphitheater 2 of SM Seaside City’s Skypark.

SM Supermalls Group Marketing Manager Pierre Anther Infante said the Skypark, built as a safe and spacious zone for Cebuanos to hang around, will become a venue for promoting mental health and fitness through the Stay Fit at the Skypark program.

OPENING. Leading the opening of the obstacle course facility at the Amphitheater 2 of SM Seaside City’s Skypark are (from left) SEA Games medalist coach Sherwin Managil, SM Supermalls Group Marketing Manager Pierre Anther Infante, former professional basketball player and Cebu City Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, and coach Carlo Jun Sumayang.
OPENING. Leading the opening of the obstacle course facility at the Amphitheater 2 of SM Seaside City’s Skypark are (from left) SEA Games medalist coach Sherwin Managil, SM Supermalls Group Marketing Manager Pierre Anther Infante, former professional basketball player and Cebu City Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, and coach Carlo Jun Sumayang.

The initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with the United VisMin OCR, a community of obstacle course racing athletes and enthusiasts in the Visayas and Mindanao, and the Cebu City Government.

SM Seaside City Cebu has opened the experience to interested shoppers, who only need to present a P150 single-receipt purchase from any mall store. The guided OCR sessions will happen every 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays beginning Feb. 13, 2021.

Obstacle course racing facility

The OCR pop-up facility in the Skypark has 12 obstacles, according to Coach Carlo Jun Sumayang of the United VisMin OCR Community. He added that obstacle course racing has drawn athletes and enthusiasts from other sports because it uses the mind and upper body strength to overcome hurdles.

Some Cebuano athletes even have made a name for themselves in the sport, including Cebu-based fitness coach Sherwin Managil who won a silver medal in the 2019 SEA Games.

Councilor Dondon Hontiveros said the City Government supports the sport and wants more Cebuano athletes to represent Cebu City in international competitions. Managil received an incentive from the City Government for his performance in the SEA Games.

Obstacle course racing is not just for hard-core athletes since the challenges can be modified for various categories: elite, age group, open or fun.

Marlen is the editor of MyCebu.ph and co-founder of Cebu-based journalism startup InnoPub Media.