SA Triathlon Championships in PE this weekend
15 March 2011
Highlighting Nelson Mandela Bay’s status as the Watersport Capital of Africa is the addition of the prestige ITU Triathlon Africa Cup event to the programme, whereby athletes will score valuable Olympic qualifier points.
Racing starts on Sunday morning at 7.30am with the Juniors, aged 12 to 15 years, whose race consists of a 400m swim, 10 kilometres of cycling and a run of 2.5km. The women start at 7.35am and compete over the same course and both races should be completed by 8.35am.
The Juniors aged 16 to 19 years start at 8.30 and 8.35am, and their race consists of a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run, with the race expected to be completed by 10.05am.
The popular Age Groupers event starts at 10am and 10.15am and the competitors race in age groups from 20 to 24, 25 to 29, in five year groupings. Their distance is a 1500m swim, followed by a 40km cycle and a 10km run, and their race should be completed by 1.15pm.
The big incentive for these athletes is that a top eight placing in each age group qualifies for the World Triathlon Championships in September this year, in Beijing.
The Africa Triathlon Cup, consisting of two categories, Under 23 and Elite, race over the 1500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run course, starting at 13.30 and 13.35pm and both races should be over by 15:45, followed by the medal presentation at about 16:15.
The swim courses will be off Hobie Beach, and the cycle laps will be between the grassed area at Second Avenue, Summerstrand, along Marine Drive to Noordhoek and back, creating two laps of 20km each. The shorter junior lap will be to the back gate of NMMU, and the elites will complete three laps, turning at the Rifle range.
The run courses will be along the beachfront cycle paths from Second Avenue, with the juniors turning at Pollok Beach and the other categories turning at 11th Avenue and completing two laps.
According to SA Triathlon Team Manager and EP Triathlon Race Organiser, Sharon Oakley, over 500 entries have been received for the days events and 35 athletes will compete in the Africa Cup event, which should produce some very tight racing over the fast course. Drafting is allowed in the cycle leg and a fast winning time can be expected, with athletes from USA, Great Britain, Spain, Hungary, Croatia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and South Africa in the line-up.
St Georges Life Hospital and Gardmed will provide the medical back-up and 100+ are the refreshment sponsors.
Springbok Show-jumper Jade Hook will compete in the 20 to 24 age group category, in memory of her mom, Jennifer, who tragically passed away earlier this week after a horseriding accident a week ago.
Local stars include Mike Bosch and Alec Riddle, who hope to win their age group titles.
Road closures will be in place during the cycle leg and motorists are requested to obey the marshalls who will be on duty at all intersections along Marine Drive. Marine Drive itself will be closed between Second Avenue and Noordhoek, from 7.30am to about 15h00.
Author: Stanford Slabbert
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