Tags: Adventure Races, Extreme Sports, Outdoor Sports
By Marjorie Gorospe
ANGELES, PAMPANGA–The father and son tandem of Hilario and Hirryan Mendiola will represent the country in the 2010 China-Sanya International Off-Road Rainforest Challenge this month.
The Mendiolas share that it would be an honor to represent the country, as part of Team Land Rover Philippines, in this highly-competitive sport.
Although Hilario is already a seasoned 4×4 driver, he says it will be exciting to have his 22-year-old son Hirryan at his side during the competitions.
“My first international off-road was when we went to Malaysia for the 2005 Rainforest Challenge and was followed by the same event in 2006,” Hilario shares.
Hilario says he was also the official driver at the 2009 China-Sanya off-road competitions where his team ranked fifth in overall official results among 40 competitors.
He says his driving skills were honed when he started driving the 4×4 after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
“Everything was covered in lahar back then and we can only use 4×4 vehicles. I then became a member of the Angeles City 4-wheel drive association and we started helping out the lahar victims,” he says.
Since then, he started joining local off-road competitions and his efforts eventually paid off, as he bagged numerous awards. In 2006, he also received Goodyear’s Bayani ng Kalsada (Highway Heroes) Award.
The 22-year-old younger Hirryan meanwhile says he has always considered his father as his inspiration and main influence as he is now taking the same path in the sport.
“I learned driving since I was in sixth grade in Angeles and my father has always been my role model,” Hirryan says.
Hirryan says now is his chance to work with his father and represent the country.
“My father has always bring pride to our country and now that I have the chance to follow his footsteps, I’ll try hard to also bring pride and give justice to this opportunity given to me.”
The father and son team will be with other Team Land Rover Philippines team members including Sergio Jamila III, Robby Consunji and Marc Soong in the international off-road challenge slated on August 18 to 25.
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