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Dubai’s first half iron distance triathlon taking place at Atlantis, The Palm
The ‘Dubai International Triathlon’, the first half iron distance triathlon to be held in Dubai, has been confirmed for November 7th 2014 at the Atlantis Resort on The Palm, Jumeirah.
Featuring a 1.9km swim followed by 90km bike then a 21.1km run, the half iron distance race is endorsed by the Dubai Sports Council and organised by Race ME. More than 800 triathletes from all over the world are expected to race in the debut year with a target of in excess of 2,000 within two years.
“Dubai provides the perfect backdrop for a half iron distance race,” commented Paul Venn, Partner, Race ME. “We have perfect weather conditions, a great, fast course and a host city that people all over the world want to visit. This is an event that will very quickly feature in everyone’s top 10 races.”
The swim takes place in the calm, flat waters off the Atlantis Resort. The 2-lap cycle heads off The Palm onto Hessa Street towards Sports City before returning to Atlantis. The route is flat so athletes can expect some fast times. The 2-lap run is entirely on the crescent of The Palm with the Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Atlantis Resort providing the picture postcard backdrop to the course.
The Dubai Sports Council are working together with race organisers, Race ME, to help launch the Dubai International Triathlon. This follows their highly successful Desert Triathlon, which saw athletes combine running, cycling and horse riding in a world first.
“One of our roles as the Sports Council is to promote Dubai as global sporting destination,” explained Dr. Ahmed Al Sharif, General Secretary of Dubai Sports Council. “Triathlon is one of the fastest growing sports in the world so it makes tremendous sense to stage an international race. We would want to encourage young UAE Nationals to get active and races like this one provide the perfect opportunity for them to aspire to compete in. ”
Registration for the Dubai International Triathlon is open to individuals in male and female age group categories and teams of three athletes. It can be done online at http://www.dubai-tri.com with participants able to register until midnight on October 31st. Individual entry costs Dhs. 850 with an early bird discount of Dhs. 100 on offer to anyone who registers by the end of June.
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