Swaleh Balala bikes during a training session for the YULs Cross Triathlon
The Source: - 23/10/2009
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The inaugural YULs Cross Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships will take place this Saturday and Sunday.One hundred and eighty nine athletes who have registered for the two day event will decide who the cross triathlon champion becomes for the first time.
The championships consist of a chilly 750-meter swim in the Indian Ocean right outside YULs in a triangular shape with a beach start followed by a mountain bike course of 10.2 kilometres which takes the participants through the Haller Park with the dunes, forests and over the sandy beach.The race ends with a 5-kilometer run that goes through the rough road and finishes along the sandy beach.For those who love challenges, this is it! You miss it, miss out!Over the two days more than 200 athletes will compete at the YULs.Making it one of the biggest cross triathlon races in East and Central Africa..The weather forecast will be Scattered Thunder storms with High 87 degrees Fahrenheit and low of 74 Degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday. Don’t forget to carry that Rain Coat.The athletes will have a good run to the finish as they will be getting the East South East winds blowing at 13 miles per hour. On Sunday, the weather is expected to be high of 86 Degrees and low of 74 degrees with partly cloudy the whole dayUp for Grabs is a cash purse of Ksh. 60,000 which YUL Wenger has generously contributed to the two main races.This is for the male and female category in the 750m, 20km and 5km. Among the races include the 5 years, 6/7 years, 8/9 years, 10/11 years, 12/13 years, 14/15 years, 16 and over doing Aquathlon on Saturday and Triathlon on Sunday.All the athletes will converge at YULs at 7.00am on Saturday. The water level will be 2.7m at 7.16am and Aquathlon races are expected to finish as early as 9.30am .As the saying goes, time and tide wait for no man, this is a challenge to the organizers as well as the athletes. The late comers will miss the race.On 25th Sunday, water level will be at 2.6m at 7.55am . The dates have carefully been picked by the race director, Mr. Suleiman Said as it involves real open water swim against wind, currents and mainly time.All triathletes are advised to report at 7.00 am for check in as almost all events will run simultaneously.This is due to the nature of the area. When the water is low, it becomes impossible to swim.Special thanks go to YUL Wenger, for the generous support for Triathlon.It is our hope that the venue will be recognized by the International Triathlon Union soon as one of the challenging triathlon races in Africa .The manager at YULs, Mr Felix for the excellent support and preparations for this event.Athletes will be selected to go for the ITU Mauritius triathlon later in December for the Continental Triathlon Champs set for 14th to 27th December 2009.Among the schools and clubs who have entered include the Oshwal Academy , Jaffrey Acad-emy, Loreto Convent Mombasa, Al Madrassa Tus Saifiyatul Burhanniya, Mombasa Parents Club, Bandari Swimming Club and the Coast Triathlon Club.The event has also attracted athletes from Australia .Winding up the weekend, Mrs Chinatsu McReed will conduct Beach Volleyball to hype up interest among the youth within local schools and clubs.
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