May 12, 2016 (MANILA, Philippines) – The Philippines’ all-girls team, the SEA Gals, crossed the finish line in Paris, France together with 157 other successful teams out of the original 165 at this year’s Red Bull Can You Make It? after traveling a total of 2,424 kilometers as they passed through 5 countries in 7 days from April 12 to 19, 2016.
Throughout their week-long journey, the team only had their wits, skills, charm, and Red Bull cans to trade for food, accommodations, and transportation in European city after European city.
The three University of the Philippines Diliman architecture students – Nadine Balaccua, Alison Estabaya, and Nikki Palma – kicked off the competition in Florence, Italy and made their way northwards to Innsbruck, Austria; across Munich and Stuttgart, Germany down south to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland; and boarded their final train straight to Paris, France.
“Every country had its own merits, but Switzerland was our favorite! For one thing, the people there spoke good English, making trades and communication so much easier. Getting to Switzerland from Germany also proved to be really easy because we met someone who gave us tickets to Basel (the French-Swiss-German border)… Getting to the Lauterbrunnen checkpoint was just so unbelievably smooth that we couldn’t believe it. And the mountain holiday park – Camping Jungfrau – that the checkpoint was located in just sealed our initial impression of Switzerland,” the SEA Gals shared.
Balaccua, Estabaya, and Palma completed the required six checkpoints where they made pesto in Genoa, drove a gondola across Venice’s grand canal, milked a fake cow on the summit of the Austrian Alps, dressed each other up in the Munich professional team’s hockey gear, fixed car engines in Stuttgart, and spent a dreamy day in the picturesque Swiss Alps in Lauterbrunnen.
There were plenty of highs and a few lows, which the three college juniors weathered in stride.
The group recalled, “Whenever we look back at those 7 days, we always think that we were actually pretty lucky most of the time, especially after we heard stories from other teams… We hit our lowest point during the second day, when we went to Venice. After hours of trying to find a warm place to sleep in, we ended up in a Venice hospital at midnight, where we slept in a waiting area beside coffee vending machines.”
A trip as unique as Can You Make It? makes or breaks friendships. Thankfully, the SEA Gals came out of it stronger than ever. “We’re very different people, but throughout the week, we were able to adjust our roles in the group, and this made us a well-oiled machine all the way to the finish line,” they said.
They officially finished in 85th place, logging in a total of 22, 700 Checkpoint Points; 10,300 Adventure Points; and 35,008 Social Points – one of the highest in the category among all teams.
For replays of Red Bull Can You Make It? day-to-day highlights, visit Red Bull TV. Relive the SEA Gals’ once-in-a-lifetime trip on their official pages: www.redbullcanyoumakeit.com/en/teams/421 and www.facebook.com/seagals.ph.
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About Red Bull Can You Make It?
Red Bull Can You Make It? challenges teams of three university students on the adventure of a lifetime. In 2016, a total of 165 teams from more than 50 countries across the globe will have just one week (April 12–19) to travel more than 1,000 kilometers/miles throughout Europe from one of the five Starting Points to the Finish Line in one of the continent’s most dazzling cities, using only cans of Red Bull as currency.
A daily program on Red Bull TV will follow the stories, and judging will be based on three factors: Checkpoint Challenges, Social Following and completing tasks on an Adventure List. It’s not about the first team to the destination – it’s the journey and the adventures that matter.
For more information, visit www.redbullcanyoumakeit.com
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About Red Bull Philippines
The premium Energy Drink known all around the world – Red Bull (Blue & Silver can) – was launched in the Philippines last May 2012. Thanks to its unique formula, Red Bull Energy Drink gives you wings by vitalizing body and mind. For more information on Red Bull, visit our website at www.redbull.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: facebook.com/redbull | twitter.com/redbullph |instagram.com/redbullph
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For more information, kindly contact:
E.Jay Miranda | Field Marketing Manager | Red Bull Philippines
ejay.miranda@ph.redbull.com | M: +63 917 820 6507
Almaine D. Pedraza | Monsters Centaur Production Inc.
pr@monstersproduction.com | M: +63 927 665 8669