News:
Welcoming Our New Racers

Earlier this year, we started growing our racer lineup.

You can read our initial announcement here.

It was something we had been wanting to do for a while. With only four core racers, one injury or a conflict in someone’s schedule could easily affect our race plans.

That was one of the reasons we put together the 11°North Orienteering Championships 2026. We wanted to see who in the current field had the mindset for adventure racing: athletes willing to grind through rain, mud, concrete, jungle, and heat, while still keeping their heads clear.

We were looking for people willing to suffer for the team, then smile together at the finish line no matter how the race went.

More than anything, we were looking for willingness.

And now, we’re happy to officially welcome our newest racers:

Jan Nikko Rosales

We’ve known Janix since the early Ultimate Frisbee days in Tacloban. Lately, we had also been hearing about his ultra-marathon adventures, so we invited him to join us as our fourth member for last year’s La Routa. Because of injury concerns, he respectfully turned it down at the time.

When we announced 11°North, Janix and our friend Kawayan were both keen to join. That willingness was already a good sign for us, and winning the Elite category was a nice bonus. After the event, we invited Janix into the Racer Potential Pool so we could see how he would do in an actual race setting.

As the most kuya in the pool, Janix brought a calm and level-headed presence. We gave him the basics of land navigation and threw him into Palompon Adventure Race. He got the hang of navigation quickly, then really stepped up at Taragobay a few weeks later. His work as navigator helped keep the team moving at the front of the pack.

Janix joins the core team as a navigator, adding depth to a navigator line led by Nick and Quincy.

Jeff Muchamiel Barbosa

We first saw Jeff at 11°North, where he teamed up with fellow potential Sansi Hernaez. But even before that, we had already been hearing about his many podium finishes in road running, including a podium at our 124East Half Marathon last year.

He was also one of the regulars at our Run With Us sessions, the free road and trail-running clinics we held for the community. Seeing him show up, learn, and take on 11°North gave us a good feel for how committed he was to being part of the team.

A few weeks ago, we sent Jeff to the Ormoc Eco Adventure Challenge. We had a feeling he would do well, and he didn’t disappoint, coming away with a championship finish. More than the result, though, he showed the endurance and team mindset we need in a race.

At 21, Jeff has a lot of stamina and skill, which makes him a great fit for the packhorse role. Don’t let the lean frame fool you. This guy can keep going for days.

Daniela Ann Labrador

Daniela came in from left field. She wasn’t part of 11°North or any of our self-hosted events. Instead, she first joined us as a substitute racer for Palompon.

After that race, Daniela made it clear that she wanted to be part of the team. We welcomed her into the Racer Potential Pool, where she quickly showed that she was ready to learn, train, and take on the challenges that come with adventure racing.

Her background is in mountain biking, and it really shows during the bike sections. Daniela brings confidence and control on technical terrain, and she is not afraid to push through the mud, climbs, and long hours that come with the sport.

At 15, Daniela is our youngest racer to date. She already has the drive and potential to become a strong adventure racer, and we’re excited to see how far she can go with Team Dirt.

Welcome to the team, Janix, Jeff, and Daniela!

#WEAREDIRT