Abu Dhabi is playing host to yet another world-class sporting event – the $250,000 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon (ADIT).
More than 750 athletes from 30 countries have already signed up for the latest addition to Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s burgeoning sports event portfolio, which will debut in the capital on 13th March 2010.
The inaugural ADIT will be raced across two lengths, widening its appeal to professionals and amateurs alike. Professionals will compete on a testing 223km ‘pure power’ course, which involves a 3km swim, followed by a 200km cycle and finishing with a 20km running leg. The shorter version, at half the length, comprises a 1.5km swim, a 100km cycle and a 10km run.
The ADIT format, with a finishing running leg shorter than typical Ironman events, allows athletes to recover faster and compete more often – a factor which has been identified as crucial to international triathlon community success.
“This is the result of months of intensive planning - we have culled the best of events from around the world, and blended them with Abu Dhabi’s signature culture and destination qualities to create a unique triathlon event,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, head of ADTA’s Major Events Division.
Faris Al Sultan, the 2005 Ironman World Championship winner and captain of Team Abu Dhabi Triathlon, the international triathlon squad backed by ADTA, is relishing the new event.
“The course, whilst extremely demanding, will avoid the longer-term punishing results on an athlete’s body, which means a quicker recovery,” he said. “I have personally trained along parts of this route and know that it will be both challenging yet exciting.”
The opening swim leg of the triathlon takes place in the lagoon of the Emirates Palace, one of the world’s most luxurious hotels.
The athletes must then remove their wetsuits and shake off the water at the first transition point before the cycling leg; that takes them past some of Abu Dhabi’s most iconic sights, including the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, before pedalling east along the Corniche - all under the safety of completely closed roads.
The route continues east over Saadiyat Island and on to the freshly completed Yas Island, where they will race around the stunning Yas Marina Circuit. The athletes will then cycle back to the Corniche before completing the circuit with the running leg past Marina Mall, through the Heritage Village to the west of the city and back to the finish line on the Corniche - the ideal place for spectators to watch the best of the action and enjoy all the entertainment on offer in the TRIZONE area.
For further information, please go to www.abudhabitriathlon.com
Relay option added to triathlon
To enhance the accessibility of the event, ADTA has decided to introduce a relay element for the shorter 111.5km route of the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon.
A team of three can each take on a single discipline – choosing either the 1.5km swim, the 100km cycle or the 10km run. ADTA believes this will be perfect for aspiring athletes and corporate involvement.
“The Abu Dhabi International Triathlon was designed to be accessible to all levels and to engage the community fully, whether seasoned pros or those determined to get really fit. The relay option helps achieve that goal. It is a great team building initiative, and is suitable for companies and organisations looking to promote health and fitness or a group of friends wanting to try something new,” said ADTA’s head of Major Events Division Faisal Al Sheikh.
Adventure Challenge champ eyes triathlon glory
Endurance racing legend Richard Ussher has set his sights on a new test of skill and determination – the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon.
Ussher recently led his team to victory for the third time in December’s Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, the gruelling, six-day multi-discipline endurance race. Now he takes on the new challenge – ADIT’s city-wide 223km ‘pure power’ course.
The 33-year-old has earmarked ADIT as an important platform to get his season under way. He believes the event’s first-of-its-kind format, with a finishing running leg shorter than typical Ironman challenges, will be a big pull for the international racing community as it allows athletes to recover faster and compete more often.
“I think the race route will play a major part in the event’s popularity and as a season-opener, it isn’t as demanding as some others, which means it’s perfect for getting back into the swing of things,” said Ussher.
Where can I watch the action from?
View the swim:
Watch the line-up and explosive start from the water’s edge and then move up towards the swim exit area before situating yourself in the Transition Area, and catch the excitement firsthand as the athletes exit for the bike route.
View the bike:
Sheikh Zayed Mosque or Yas Marina Circuit will provide the memorable backdrop as the athlete’s zoom past these iconic Abu Dhabi landmarks. If you are around Al Sahil Beach, head north and you will see the Elite Athletes as they complete Lap 1 and make the turn to head back out for a second lap of the Saadiyat Beach Bypass / Yas Marina Circuit. The Bike / Run transition area at the junction of Khaleej Al Arabi Street / Corniche is where you will see all the action as the athlete’s disembark and get ready for the final discipline.
View the run:
A walk out to the Flag Pole will allow you to see the athletes as they complete the final leg of the triathlon, or stay closer to the finish line throughout, which will ensure you don’t miss a minute of the action as the athletes triumphantly cross the finish line on the Corniche, near the TRIZONE entertainment area.
ADIT lines up world-class men's field
With just over a week until the starting pistol fires to get the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon under way, the event’s organisers have confirmed that this year’s event will feature the world’s best male endurance athletes.
Amongst those leading the charge in the men’s category are Sweden’s Bjorn Andersson, one of the world’s best long distance cyclists; Phil Graves, an emerging force in triathlon and the UK Ironman champion; Raynard Tissink, South Africa’s five-time Ironman winner; and Faris Al-Sultan, Team Abu Dhabi Triathlon’s Ironman World Champion.
“I'm looking forward to a challenging race in a unique part of the world that I have not yet visited," said Tissink. “I expect the competition to be really tough, but I expect the course and conditions to be even tougher. I usually handle the heat pretty well so I'll be conservatively looking to finish in the top 10.”
These front-runners will be joined by other hot favourites including, Luxembourg’s Dirk Bockel, who was seventh at the 2009 Ironman World Championships; Spain’s Eneko Llanos, who clocked up a second place at the 2008 Ironman World Championships and is a past Ironman Lanzarote winner; the UK’s Fraser Cartmell, winner of the 2010 70.3 South Africa and 2008 70.3 UK; and Australia’s Joe Gambles, who recently finished fifth in the 2009 Ironman 70.3 World Championships and is a multiple Ironman 70.3 champion.
Top female athletes sign up for ADIT
Twenty of the world’s top female athletes are leading the charge for the inaugural $250,000 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon (ADIT) as registration for the event continues to grow.
An early favourite is current Ironman and Xterra Triathlon World Champion, Great Britain’s Julie Dibens, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s fastest competitors. “I am super-excited about making the trip to Abu Dhabi in March,” said Dibens, who currently holds four world records. “It is a great opportunity for me to step up in distance and try to learn a lot about myself.
“With such a great organisation behind the race, and a great prize purse, ADIT is set to attract a great field of top pro males and females.”
The Brit will not have it all her own way though – fierce competition will be provided by the likes of Yvonne Van Vlerken from the Netherlands, the 2008 Ironman World Championship runner up and former world record holder; Britain’s Leanda Cave, former Olympic and long distance world champion; and the America duo of Sam McGlone and Hillary Biscay.
Triathlon Basics
Triathlon is probably the world’s fastest-growing mass participation sport. It is a multi-discipline endurance event involving a continuous race over various distances in the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running.
Swim: A triathlon can start in one of two ways, from the beach or in the water. Elite athletes start in their own small group whereas the masses start in waves of up to 200 people which are set off at staggered times. At the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon the swim distances are 1.5kms in the 111.5 category and 3kms in the 223 category.
Bike: Once athletes leave the water they enter “transition 1” where they will change into their bike clothing and pick up their bikes for the next section of their race. The cycling at this event will be 100km for the 111.5 category and 200km for the 223 category.
Run: At the end of their bike leg the athletes will enter “transition 2”. This is where they drop off their bike, put on their running shoes and begin the run leg of the race. At the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon the athletes will complete a 10km run in the 111.5 category and 20km in the 223 category before crossing the finish line at the end of what will undoubtedly be an amazing race.
Triathlon history
Triathlon began in 1974 in California and has grown at a significant rate since.
The first modern long-distance triathlon event was the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. It included a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike, and a 42.2 km run.
The International Triathlon Union (ITU) was founded in 1989 as the international governing body of the sport, with the chief goal being to put triathlon on the Olympic programme. It worked – the sport made its Olympic debut at the Sydney Games in 2000 with a 1.5km swim, 40km on the bike and a 10km run.
