FWD Life Philippines all set to blaze a trail at the North Pole!
Sunday, February 25, 2018
FWD Life Philippines, one of the country’s fastest-growing insurers, today launched its “Blaze a Trail in the Arctic” campaign in conjunction with the FWD North Pole Marathon 2018, the world’s coolest marathon which will be held on April 9 this year. FWD is the marathon’s title sponsor.
FWD will sponsor ten (10) runners from six (6) countries across Asia who will showcase their passion and determination to take on extreme challenges and embrace this experience of a lifetime, traversing the 42-kilometer path with an average temperature of -30 degrees centigrade. The North Pole Marathon is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the “Northernmost Marathon on Earth”.
The FWD North Pole Marathon, dubbed the “World’s Coolest Marathon,” is done on a circuit loop that runners must go through 10 times to complete the 42-kilometer run. There will be flags to guide athletes around the course to make sure that participants won’t get lost.
The race course is made up of both loose and solid ice, which makes the underfoot conditions uneven, with occasional deep spots caused by loose snow.
Wind chill temperature tends to average between -25 °C and -30 °C. The lowest recorded temperature was at -60 °C in 2002. In 2017, temperature was recorded at -41 °C.
Breaks in the ice and safety criteria will determine the maximum length of the loop. The end of the race will be at the ceremonial Pole where all the lines of longitude symbolically meet — the true Geographic North.
How’s that for a cool adventure?
To join the marathon, you need to fly to a town called Longyearbyen (situated on Spitsbergen island, part of the Svalbard archipelago), off the coast of Norway.
From there, you will be flown to the Ice Camp, situated between 89°N and 90°N, drifting in the high Arctic Ocean via a chartered Antonov AN-74TK-100 jet, a converted cargo plane built to withstand hostile weather conditions and land on shorter landing strips.
"As a brand that continues to change the way people feel about insurance, FWD saw the North Pole Marathon as a unique platform to empower people to overcome extreme challenges, to pursue their aspirations without worries, and to ignite their passion for life-enriching experiences," said FWD Life Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Grimes. "With Blaze a Trail in the Arctic as our Philippine campaign promoting the marathon, we aim to encourage Filipinos to live life to the fullest, because we will always have their back!”
FWD sponsors a cancer survivor ready to conquer the top of the world!
FWD Philippines will be represented by Louie Sangalang, a multi-sport athlete who engages in mixed-martial arts, boxing, and triathlons. A proud cancer survivor, Louie was diagnosed with cancer of the appendix when he was 21. But instead of giving up, Louie—who has been in remission since 2000—turned to sports and was able to bounce back successfully.
“I want to inspire my fellow Filipinos with my story. This is why I’m running. I want them to feel empowered, that despite the many challenges that life throws, you can come back better and stronger with the right attitude,” said Sangalang, who will be joining other runners from all over the world, including representatives from other countries where FWD operates: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Japan.
"Louie's resilience in overcoming life’s challenges is one trait that resonates with Filipinos and this made him the perfect choice to represent the Philippines in the marathon," shared Grimes. "His inspiring story and his passion for sports, which he uses to inspire Filipinos to live an active lifestyle, also best represent what FWD stands for: pursuing one’s passions and celebrating life without hesitation. As such, FWD will be providing Louie with insurance protection so that he can embrace the North Pole Marathon challenge worry-free.”
To help Sangalang, FWD Philippines formed a North Pole Marathon squad who will support his mental, physical, and emotional preparations. Included in the squad are triathlon icon Ani De Leon-Brown, who will collaborate with his personal trainer and coach Ige Lopez for Louie’s physical preparedness; mountain climber Romi Garduce, who will share his insights on surviving extreme weather conditions; Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan and son Benjamin, who will provide emotional support and motivation; and sports enthusiast and funny man Sam YG, who will help keep the rigorous— sometimes stressful—training, lighthearted and fun(ny).
Sangalang, who is overwhelmed with excitement over a once in a lifetime opportunity, leaves for Norway, which is about a three-hour flight from the North Pole, on March 30.
Marathon and campaign updates will regularly be made available via the official website:
FWD Philippines
FWD Life Insurance Corporation (“FWD Life”) is the first life insurance company licensed by the Insurance Commission of the Philippines under the new Insurance Code. FWD launched its commercial operations in September 2014. After its second full year of operations in 2016, FWD ranked #12 in total premium income, up one notch from previous year, according to the Insurance Commission’s report.1 By March 2017, FWD Life is the highest-capitalized life insurer in the Philippines with PhP 2.3 billion in paid-up capitalization.
FWD Group spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and Japan, offering life and medical insurance, general insurance, and employee benefits across a number of its markets. Established in Asia in 2013, FWD is the insurance business arm of investment group, Pacific Century Group. In the Philippines, FWD has nine business hubs located in key cities nationwide with its headquarters in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
FWD is focused on creating fresh customer experiences, with easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD aims to become a leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.
For more information please visit fwd.com.ph.
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