Dubai: The organisers of the Dubai Challenge Triathlon have announced the route for the annual race scheduled to take place on Friday (February 27).
Organised under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman, Dubai Sports Council (DSC), some of the best triathletes from across the world have confirmed for the event this week.
The event will kick off with a mass start for the 1.9km swimming leg near the Jumeirah Beach Park starting at 6.45am. After sufficient breaks, the contestants will start in batches in various age categories with the last batch leaving at 8am.
Next up will be the cycling leg to be held over 90km with the cyclists moving towards Meydan through the Al Safa Park road and Nad Al Sheba before moving towards the Al Ain Road, turning right to Al Aweer Industrial, University City and Technical College, then heading towards Warsan area, and finally returning to the starting point at Jumeirah Beach.
The inaugural edition of the race has a prize money of $300,000 (Dh1.1 million) prize money for the top 10 finishers in the men and women’s categories with the top two finishers in each category receiving $65,000 and the runners-up getting $35,000 each. There will be separate competitions and prizes for emirati triathletes and for various age categories as well.
Spanish sensation Javier Gomez is the latest addition to an already outstanding field that has been confirmed for the Dubai race. The Spaniard rewrote history last year after winning his fourth ITU World Championship title in Edmonton, and just two weeks later, claimed the World Championship in Mount Tremblant.
Gomez’s challengers in Dubai include German powerhouses Jan Frodeno and Michael Raelert, a strong field from Australia that includes Luke McKenzie, Tim Reed, Brad Kahlefeldt and Pete Jacobs along with Kiwi athlete Terenzo Bozzone.
The women’s race too has attracted quite a strong field including the Swiss pair of Daniela Rfy and Caroline Steffen along with former world champion Melissa Hauschildt, Yvonne van Vlerken, Jodie Swallow and the Danish trio of Helle Frederikson, Camilla Pederson and Michelle Vesterby. Another former world champion Leanda Cave of Great Britain, Annabel Luxford of Australia and Meredith Kessler of the USA.
Race Director Ahmad Al Haj has meanwhile, cautioned the general public to stay away from the race route on Friday due to temporary closures along Al Athar Street, Hadeqah Street, Al Meydan Street, Nad Al Sheba Street and the Dubai-Al Ain Road.