The world’s elite triathletes will be heading to the capital next year after the recent announcement of a new tri event in the capital.
The International Triathlon Union (ITU) has partnered with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council to bring the World Triathlon Series (WTS) to the capital for the next five years.
The capital will be the season opener of the WTS on 6th March, 2015.
The Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club will host the event, with a spectator-friendly environment including a 2,000-seater grandstand, a bike park, a Friends & Family area, refreshment kiosks and a kids zone.
HE Aref Al Awani, General Secretary, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “This partnership is a natural progression of the success the UAE capital has achieved over the past five years with its own Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, which was organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority and quickly attained the status of the world’s most glamorous triathlon attracting entries from Olympic and celebrity TV stars.”
The top 65 men and top 65 women of the ITU World Series will start by diving in the waters of the Abu Dhabi Corniche from the Volvo Ocean Race yacht pontoons.
Around 2,400 athletes from 100 countries are expected to join the elite athletes in Abu Dhabi next March to compete in one of the two courses: the Olympic distance of a 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run, or the Sprint distance of a 0.5km swim, 20km bike and a 5km run.
