Inspired by the gallantry of the ancient Filipino warrior, Maharlika is the country’s first and all original Filipino OCR series. With courses derived from local epikos and folklore, the homegrown brand aims to elevate the OCR experience through a narrative that is relatable most especially to Filipinos.
Course One: Bakunawa
Set against the historic backdrop of Intramuros, Maharlika’s first ever course is inspired by the moon-eating beast, Bakunawa. With 6 kilometers and over 20 obstacles—spanning from Fort Santiago to Baluarte de San Gabriel—the twists and turns of the race is designed to mimic the body of the dragon-serpent and its legendary story.
“We are an all original Filipino-inspired OCR series so there was no other choice but Intramuros. It’s a cultural cradle with so much historical weight and part of this new armada of stories is Maharlika,” says Stephen Ku, CEO of WorldWide Womb Asia.
According to Philippine mythology, Bakunawa is believed to be the cause of eclipses, earthquakes, rains, and wind; and served as a geomantic calendar system for ancient Filipinos. “We wanted to create a parallel story between this creature and the obstacles. Something that will resonate not just to those looking for a new obstacle course race but also to those who want to relive these folklores from our past. Longtime OCR fans will also enjoy the challenge as our 6km course is designed by our race director, certified strength and conditioning coach and endurance athlete Gabb Rosario,” adds Stephen.
Aside from celebrating our roots and the unique Filipino spirit, part of Maharlika’s objective is to open up obstacle course race to a wider audience with different fitness levels. This year, the all-new OCR series calls for Mandirigma (Beginner) or those new to obstacle course race, Sultan (Age-Gender) or those who are ready to compete with their own tribe in the same age-group, and Alamat (Elite) or those legendary racers who can easily conquer the course against other experienced racers.
The Mandirigma category places all beginner racers together in one cluster, regardless of age and gender, all working together to conquer the course. The Sultan category divides racers by age groups as they compete to finish fast and strong. Racers who will join the Alamat category will be separated by gender, as they compete to be recognized as the ultimate legendary Maharlika of their kind.
Early bird tickets start at 1800. Regular tickets at 2150 for Mandirigma (Beginner), 2650 for Sultan (Age-Group), and 2750 for Alamat (Elite).
For more details, visit www.maharlikawarrior.com and follow Maharlika Warrior on Facebook and @themaharlikawarrior on Instagram.
