Top triathlon event to be staged in Bay
SOUTH AFRICA’s premier off-road triathlon, the Fedhealth XTERRA, is set to make its debut in Port Elizabeth from January 29 to 31. The three-day event, organised by Stillwater Sport, promises Bay residents adrenalin-packed fun.
The XTERRA “Full” features a 1.5km swim, 27km mountain bike ride and 12.5km trail run.
Stillwater Sport managing director Michael Meyer said they had chosen Port Elizabeth because of its beautiful routes.
The XTERRA SA will see the return of an ocean swim, which has not been part of the race for a number of years.
“We have a number of exciting changes in store for 2016,” Meyer said.
“The race won’t feature an urban course, but it will have a city feel to it.
“Many athletes are also not aware of the fact that Port Elizabeth offers beautiful trails in the heart of the city.
“These trails will be utilised for the XTERRA bike and run courses,” he said.
Another exciting change to the race will be the XTERRA Kids Race, which will take place on Friday January 29.
The Kids race will be followed by the XTERRA “Full” on the Saturday and the event will close with the XTERRA “Lite” for the not-soserious athletes.
The XTERRA Lite features a 400m swim, 12.5km mountain bike ride and 6km trail run.
“Together with these exciting changes and the exceptional support received from Fedheatlh, we are looking forward to a truly memorable season of XTERRA racing,” Meyer said.
The off-road triathlon has a number of top XTERRA warriors, who include Stuart Marais, Bradley Weiss, Carla van Huyssteen and Theo Blignaut.
Spokeswoman Jacky McClean said they were expecting 1 500 entries for the event.
She also confirmed that the race would not be just a once-off, but would take place annually in Port Elizabeth.
“XTERRA is the perfect family day out. It is packed with action, while the festival village will be a hub of excitement with music and food stalls,” she said.
“XTERRA warriors can relax afterwards and share their war stories,” McClean said.
The prize money will be announced closer to the staging of the event.
Online entries will open next Thursday at http://www.stillwatersports.com/event/xterra-pe/
The closing date for entries is January 26.