A record-breaking number of GCC athletes have signed-up for the third annual Abu Dhabi International Triathlon 2012 to be held this March, with a leading expert saying the demand signals a paradigm shift in the growing popularity of endurance athletics in the region
Nearly 1,000 athletes from around the GCC, almost 50 percent of total spots available, have registered for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)-organised event on 3rd March.
According to Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team manager Dr. Werner Leitner, the steady growth of GCC-based triathletes is no surprise given the increasing grass roots infrastructure coming on-stream, which is being bouyed by flagship events such as the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon.
In addition, the vast mountain terrains and picturesque coastlines found throughout the region, combined with the cool winter climate, offer some of the world’s best training conditions.
“Triathlon, as a sport, is growing rapidly in the region as people have started to recognise the importance of healthy living and exercise,” says Dr. Leitner, himself an ex-triathlete. “The Abu Dhabi International Triathlon has really made impressive strides in bringing together these like-minded athletes, and giving the region an international platform to showcase its talent and prefect winter training credentials.
“Yet the passion for endurance sport has been around for some time. In Saudi Arabia, the Riyadh Road Runners were formed approximately 28 years ago by expatriates wanting to have organised group runs in Riyadh – now most countries in the region have a Road Runners group exercising in popular locations on a weekly basis.”
In addition to preparing in Abu Dhabi, which has some of the region’s leading outdoor training landscapes, many regional athletes are putting themselves through the paces on their home turf, both in stunning natural terrain such as Oman’s Al Hajar Mountains inland from the Gulf of Oman coast, to multi-purpose athletic complexes like Qatar’s state-of-the-art indoor Aspire Dome.
After finishing his athletic career in 2008, Dr. Leitner has been managing the Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team and encourages the elite outfit, headed up by former World Ironman Champion Faris Al-Sultan, to train in various locations across the GCC. The team is based in Abu Dhabi’s second city, Al Ain, and regularly holds international winter training camps there because of the mild weather and expansive facilities available.
“Purpose-built triathlete facilities can’t get much better than the Aspire Dome in Doha - credited as the world’s largest indoor multipurpose dome which recently hosted the Arab Games,” explains the 43-year-old who has a PhD in mechanical engineering and economics. “The running tracks and facilities cater for all three disciplines; elsewhere in Doha you can train with the Triathlon Club Qatar completing swim training at Hamad Aquatics Center, behind Villagio,” he said.
“In Oman, the coastline provides some cooler conditions with swim training possible behind the Mermaid Cafe. During the winter months it’s possible to venture in-land to cycle the mountain ranges for some varying terrain and stunning scenery, alternatively the long straights of the Muscat express highway are a good challenge.”
In Dubai, swimmers can train at the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Sports Complex while Safa Park and Mushrif Park are popular running locations which most clubs utilise regularly. Down the road, in the capital of the UAE - and home of the region’s showpiece triathlon - triathlete clubs are well-established and spectacular locations such as the iconic Yas Marina Circuit are free to run and cycle every Tuesday evening.
Alternatively in Abu Dhabi, the route of the enhanced 2012 course can be traced; with open-water swimming along the public beach before cycling up Saadiyat Island highway to Yas Island, but keep safety firmly in mind warns Dr. Leitner. “Long distance cycling on open roads can be dangerous so it’s imperative to abide by the road rules, and it’s important to perfect your swim technique in open water to ensure safety is forefront of mind.”
The 2012 race has attracted both strong local and international participants with a record-breaking field of 2,100 places nearly sold out, up from 1,500 participants in 2011.
The event 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).
