With a holiday to the French Alps up for grabs, there’s even more reason to take part in the second race of the 2XU Triathlon Championship series on Friday, February 7.
The series’ first race was on November 1 last year and it was certainly a success with hundreds taking part in the swimming, cycling and running.
Super Sports, organisers of the series, are expecting another good response on the day, and there’s still time to get your names on the registration list as the deadline is Monday, February 3.
With the aim of attracting people of all ages, Super Sports have given special 50 per cent discount rate for families (two adults and two children) who wish to enter this race, and that alone should convince you to put on your running shoes.
The iconic Al Mamzar Beach in Dubai will be the venue for the triathlon, which is proving to be popular worldwide as well as the UAE.
The biggest plus point about Al Mamzar Beach as the venue is safety, so athletes won’t have to worry about the on-coming traffic or overcoming obstacles.
The race will have three different categories – the super sprint (375m swim, 8km bike, 2.5km run) – aimed for those who have never tried swimming, cycling and running before, or if you’ve not had a lot of a training recently but still like doing the triathlon.
The second is the sprint (750m swim, 24km bike, 5km run). This category is for those who have tried the sport before and know what to expect. If you feel you need a far better and bigger challenge, then why not put your name down for the Olympic category.
A daunting 1.5km swim, followed by 40km on the bike and then finishing the race with a 10km run. No Olympic medals are on offer despite the category’s title, but it’s a stiff challenge that seasoned triathletes are bound to cherish.
People of all nationalities and ages are welcome to participate in the second round of the series. Under-12s can join in the fun as well and there’s even an opportunity for teams to take part.
Besides the winners, runners-up and third-placed athletes finishing with awards, all runners who complete the race will accumulate ranking points which will be added to their overall tally, providing they compete in the final meet of the series on March 28.
Those at the top of the standings of each category qualify for a draw with an all-expenses week’s holiday to the French Alps. Even if the trip isn’t your target, Warren van der Merwe, race director for the triathlon, insists participating is an achievement on its own.
“Just taking part in the race speaks a lot. The main point is to come along and try the triathlon. The big thing for them is to prepare for the next race and try to better their time and this keeps everyone going. The commitment is to train a little bit more and see if you can better your time and challenge yourself.
“We want to get families and the communities out there to try and take part. Many people are good runners, swimmers or cyclists and this is a challenge to step up to the next level to see if they can do all three disciplines in one race,” says van der Merwe.
If you feel you want a new challenge or relishing to beat your previous time, then you can register online at www.premieronline.com.
It will definitely be worthwhile and there will be no better way than spending your weekend doing a challenge.
What: Second race of the 2XU Triathlon Championship series by Super Sports
When: Friday, February 7
Where: Al Mamzar Beach, Dubai
Contact: 050 657 5021
