ABU DHABI — A record-breaking 2,050 athletes from 76 countries will take their marks for the biggest Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Saturday, as world elites and first-timers go shoulder-to-shoulder for a shot at one of the sport's richest prizes. Leading the charge is arguably one of the strongest professional line-up found anywhere this season, all vying for a shot at the $230,000 prize on Abu Dhabi's energy-sapping 223kms ‘pure power' long course. With a stellar field boasting three previous Abu Dhabi champions and 43 world championship titles, 84 Ironman wins, 103 Ironman 70.3 nods and 192 national titles between them, competition is fierce. Entries into the Short Course, which includes a 1.5-km swim, 100-km bike and 10-km run, and into the Sprint Course, at half the length, have seen the biggest increases at 15 and 16 percent respectively, with more amateurs and first-time runners making the leap into the sport as its local grassroots development matures. A wealth of new countries will be represented from the Ivory Coast, Croatia, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lichtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Pakistan and Venezuela. It ensures the event continues living up to its international moniker for the fourth year running. And for the first time since the event's inception in 2010, GCC sign up has outstripped international interest, with 1,100 regional athletes taking their starting orders. The biggest growth comes from Bahrain (67%), Saudi Arabia (45%) and Kuwait (29%) — underlining the sport's region-wide growth. The largest international increases have come from Brazil (350%), India (267%), Hong Kong (150%), France (82%) and Australia (38%). “We are extremely encouraged that we have once again attracted a world-class field and a record number of first-timers and amateurs. To watch this event go from strength-to-strength each year is highly gratifying, both for the sport's development and for the emirate's burgeoning credentials as a winter training destination,” said Faisal Al-Sheikh, Director of Events Bureau, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which is behind the event. Starting with a sunrise swim in the Arabian Gulf's shimmering turquoise waters off Abu Dhabi's blue flagged public beach, the course weaves through closed roads along the Abu Dhabi Corniche beach, up to the spectacular Yas Island and around the Yas Marina Circuit before returning to the heart of the UAE capital. Ones to watch in the big ticket men's elite field, include the triathlon titans, such as returning champions — Eneko Llanos and Frederik Van Lierde — as well as Conrad ‘The Caveman' Stoltz, Chris ‘Macca' McCormack and Bryan ‘Rhodesy' Rhodes — who have dominated the sport over the last decade. In the women's elite field, defending champion Nikki Butterfield of Australia is hoping to become the first female to make it back-to-back wins since Julie Dibens in 2011, and will need to hold off strong competition from a highly seasoned chasing pack of stars, including Abu Dhabi regulars Caroline Steffen of Switzerland, Australia's Melissa Hauschildt (nee Rollison) and New Zealand's Jo Lawn. Leading the charge on Abu Dhabi's ‘Short' Course will be Team GB's gold medal winning Olympic triathlete and back-to-back European Triathlon Union champion, Alistair Brownlee, who can expect strong competition from the enigmatic Egyptian star, Oman Nour, who is gunning for his first international trophy. New this year is the introduction of the Kids Duathlon, taking place on Friday, in a bid to provide a pathway for the region's budding triathletes to enter the sport and encourage healthy living. The race, which starts at 9.30 a.m., consists of a 200m swim and 2km run for the 9-12 year old category, and a 300m swim and 2.5-km run for 13-16 year-olds. — SG
