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The third annual Abu Dhabi International Triathlon this March will feature an enhanced course to accommodate the record-breaking 2,100 athletes earmarked for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)-organised event.
To cater to demand, one of the sport’s most picturesque courses has been slightly altered with the swim relocating to the Abu Dhabi public beach – allowing competitors to complete lapped courses in only one race transition. Meanwhile the cycle route will now start from the heart of the Corniche in the East Plaza, with cyclists riding up Saadiyat Island to lap and around the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit, home to the Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The run course remains unchanged.
“The decision to continue evolving the course was made to improve the entire athlete experience and build on the solid foundation of the last two years,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager, ADTA. “The upgraded course gives returning athletes new challenges while keeping the beautiful setting along the city coastline that makes the this event one of world’s best and most talked about.”
Al Sheikh’s comments are mirrored by former World Ironman Champion and current European Ironman Champion, Faris Al-Sultan, who is hoping the course changes will encourage people from all walks of life to attempt this year’s event.
“Completing the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon is a very achievable New Year’s resolution which has health benefits that can revolutionise all aspects of life,” said Al-Sultan. “A revitalised course keeps it fresh for returners whilst ensuring the magic for newcomers. A triathlon may seem daunting at first, but if you approach it with baby steps, you’ll quickly see how achievable it is.”
The 33-year-old founder and leader of the Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team encourages anyone who has an interest in their health to consider training for one of the short, medium or long range events at the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon 2012, kick-starting the New Year with fitness in mind.
“The run, swim and bike training involved in a triathlon gives you the complete body workout,” says Al-Sultan. “Many people already partake in one of these on a regular basis, so it’s just incorporating one or two more disciplines into your exercise programme. It also gives a more rounded fitness session, so you stop stressing only one part of your body!”
The 2012 race, which will be held on Saturday, March 3, is organised by ADTA and attracts both strong local and international participants. Abu Dhabi Tri is targeting a record field of 2,100 participants this year, up from 1,500 in 2011. To date more than 1,000 athletes have pre-registered.
ADTA is hoping to build on the success of last year’s event which boasted 61 of the world’s best triathletes with 24 global titles between them, together with an international amateur and newcomer line-up from almost 50 countries.
The Abu Dhabi International Triathlon offers three course distances; the 223km ‘long course’ (3km swim, a 200km cycle and 20km run), the half-length ‘short’ course (1.5km swim, a 100km cycle and a 10 km run) and the successful 2011-debuted sprint course (750m swim, a 50km bike and 5km run), of which the latter two can be run as a team relay.
ADTA has frozen athlete registration fees for the third year in a row. Athletes interested in entering should visit www.abudhabitriathlon.com and, after clicking on the ENTER NOW link, simply follow the instructions. Entry fees for the long and short distances are US$190 (AED 695) and US $130 (AED 475) respectively, while Sprint course rates are US$75 (AED 275) for individuals and US $120 (AED440) for a team. The fee for the team relay is US$280 (AED1,022).
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