A gruelling swim of 1.5km, followed by 40km cycling and then a 10km run, just for the joy of the challenge? To the less athletic among you, a standard Olympic triathlon can sound more like a joke without a punchline than a sporting event. However, a triathlon with a difference taking place at Yas Marina Circuit this week might just change your mind.
Tri Yas allows athletes to compete not just at Olympic distances but also as a shorter ‘sprint’ distance or as part of a relay team, making the usually elite sport accessible to a wide range of abilities and experience. Held at the prestigious Yas Marina Circuit, where just a matter of weeks ago the world F1 champion Sebastian Vettel roared to victory, the event gives competitors the unique chance to swim in the marina, cycle the F1 track ad finish off with a run around the outer perimeter of the track. To get the full racing Yas experience transitions between the different legs will even take place in the pit lane.
Troy Watson, Yas Marina Circuit’s operations venue manager is competing in the event himself, and says, ‘For those taking part it will be a truly unique triathlon experience as the backdrop of the track and the marina are spectacular. For spectators, there’ll be lots of places to watch with the family and plenty of activities to take part in during the day.’
Make no mistake, you’ll need to be in reasonable shape to compete. As well as first timers aiming to challenge themselves, for many pros, including Abu Dhabian Eissa Al Raisi, the event will serve as a warm-up to the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon coming up in March. Eissa first became interested in long distance competitions when some colleagues encouraged him to take part in the Dubai marathon in 2009. He says, ‘What can I say, it changed my life. I can’t talk highly enough about the benefits of making sure you keep fit and competing in these events. The sense of achievement is amazing.’ Instantly bitten by the competitive bug, he went on to run the Beirut marathon in December last year, followed by Dubai again in January, and the Ras Al Khaimah half marathon in February as well as Prague and Istanbul marathons later in the year.
‘My first event of 2011 is Tri Yas. Yas Marina is one of the most amazing facilities for sport in the world, so the chance to compete in a triathlon is great. The nice thing about this event is it is Olympic distance, so I can test myself against the professional athletes. I’ll then take part in the Abu Dhabi triathlon, so I think it’s going to be a busy year for me!’
However, for Eissa this event has a special significance, as he hopes not only to push himself physically, but also to encourage other Emiratis to participate in sporting activities. ‘I’ve been directly affected by our collective lack of activity, as my family has been struck down by diabetes and it’s really debilitating. My brother says his big belly has cost him money to create and he’s proud of it. But he realises there’s a serious side to his diabetes as it really affects his day-to-day life. As a nation, we have to take action against this horrible illness together. So it’s not about me, it’s about our people. Someone has to stand up and inspire the Emirati community to get more active and enjoy more healthy lives, and I’d like that someone to be me.’
Entry Dhs275. January 14. Call 800 927 or visit www.yasmarinacircuit.ae for more information.
