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We are experience a huge growth of the sport in Asia from both the locals, expats and visitors. The destination races in Asia make it a perfect holidays for overaseas athletes and professional triathletes are seeing in the local races a good opportunity due to its high prize purse.
The list below are the highest profile events in Asia on the first semester of 2015. AsiaTRI will be covering most of them with photos, training articles, race reports and results. Stay tuned!
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1) Challenge Philippines (Half Iron Distance)
Date: 21.feb Location: Subic/Bataan
http://www.challengephilippines.com.ph/
The first edition of Challenge Philippines in Subic in 2014, saw over 700 age group athletes from over 38 countries, being challenged by most beautiful yet “toughest old school courses”, according to Greg Bennett, Olympian and two-times ITU World Series Champion. If you want a race with beautiful surroundings and a challenging course, this is your pick. Cycling superstar Matt Burtons won last year’s event with a time of 4:26:53, which shows how challenging the course is.
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2) Challenge Dubai (Half Iron Distance)
Date: 27.feb
http://challenge-dubai.com/
The inaugural Challenge Dubai is promising to watch one of the worlds strongest field ever assembled which will includes the current World Champion and ITU World Series Champion Javier Gomez. He will again set the long distance racing world alight in Dubai and sets up a tantalizing showdown with some of the other giants of the sport including German powerhouses Jan Frodeno and Michael Raelert.
The women’s field is just as impressive and includes Swiss pair Daniela Rfy and Caroline Steffen, along with former world champion Melissa Hauschildt, Yvonne van Vlerken, Jodie Swallow (GBR) and the trio from Denmark Helle Frederikson, Camilla Pederson and Michelle Vesterby. Former world champion Leanda Cave (GBR), Annabel Luxford (AUS) and Meredith Kessler (USA) round out an all-star line up.
Challenge Dubai is part of the Millionaire Triple Crown (along with Challenge Bahrain and Challenge Oman) and will pay a prize purse of 300.000 USD to the winners
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3) Ironman 70.3 Subic, Philippines
Date: 8.March, Location: Subic Bay, Philippines
http://ironman703subicbay.com/
The swim will be at the HYS yacht club – clear and still waters. T1 will be right across the swim exit at a former international race track. The 90 km bike course will take participants in the different roads and highways in and out of the area. Participants will then head towards Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center(SBECC) where T2 will be located. The run will be heading towards the New Container Terminal (NCT), heading back to SBECC for the finish line. There are 30 qualifying slots to the 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand, Austria.
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4) Cha-Am International Triathlon
Date: 14.March Location: Cha-Am, Thailand
Event website
Cha-Am is a luxury beach located 2h30 drive from Bangkok’s International airport or 15min from Hua Hin airport. The Cha-Am international triathlon is now on its second edition and is held inside the Naresuan Police Academy Camp. Athletes have the option to race either the Olympic or Sprint Distances.
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5) Ironman 70.3 Putrajaya
April 5th, Putrajaya (Malaysia)
Event website
Looking for an official Ironman 70.3, at a convenient location? Ironman 70.3 Putrajaya (Malaysia) is only 30km from Kuala Lampur’s International airport and a 15min train ride.
Race is on April 5th, and it is a qualifier with 30 slots to the 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand, Austria. 2014
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6) Ironman Taiwan
Date: 12.April Location: Kenting (Taiwan)
Event website
Ironman Taiwan is Asia’s only official Ironman event on the first semester of 2015 and the only qualifying race for the 2015 IRONMAN World Championships in October, Kona Hawaii, offering 25 slots.
Ironman Taiwan will be hosted throughout the stunning Kenting region. Located to the south, Kenting has not only become a major triathlon destination in Taiwan but also provides a vacation paradise for families and couples alike. Kenting will welcome athletes for its first IRONMAN race with full support from the government and the local community.
7) Challenge Taiwan (Half Iron Distance)
25.April – Taitung, Taiwan
http://www.challenge-taiwan.com/
Challenge Taiwan is in its third year now but in 2015, will offer the half distance along with short course events which is part of the new Tri.Asia series.
The race is held in Taitung which is a famous family destination area in East Asia due to its high mountains, rift valleys, creeks and oceans all in one place. Every year the event also attracts a world class field, in 2014 the winners were Dylan McNiece and Britta Martin.
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8) Ironman 70.3 Vietnam
10.May – Da Nang
www.ironman703vietnam.com
The inaugural Ironman 70.3 Vietnam is organized by Sunrise events, the same company that is behind all Ironman events in the Philippines. They promise to bring the same 5-star quality events they have produced so far, but now at the super exotic and picturesque location of Da Nang. The area has many luxury hotels and direct flights to many cities in Asia including Singapore
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9) Bintan Triathlon
Date 23.May – Location: Bintan, Indonesia
http://www.bintantriathlon.com
Bintan Triathlon is one of Asia’s most traditional triathlon events and has attracted several world class athletes including Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack and Olympian Triathlon Courtney Atkinson. Athletes have the option to race either the Sprint or the Olympic Distance. Bintan is an island in Indonesia located only a 45min ferry ride from Singapore and a famous destination race for Singaporeans due to its pristine waters, white sand beaches and coconut trees.
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10) Challenge Camsur
Date: 14.June Location: Camsur (Philippines)
www.challengecamsur.com
“Where it all began…” is being promoted since Camsur is the original location to Long Distance Triathlon racing in the Philippines and has held several Ironman 70.3 events in the past. Now the organizers of Challenge Camsur have have designed and developed the fastest course in the Philippines and one of the fastest in Asia with Challenge Camsur! The race is held inside a wakeboarding park and has several attractions to the athlete traveling with a family.
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