Fungai Muderere .
IT wona��t be a fools run when the 2017 BonaquaA� Troutbeck ATU Triathlon African Cup, Zimbabwe Triathlon National Championships, AquathlonA� and Troutbeck Mile Open Water Swim scheduled for 1 AprilA� at Troutbeck Inn Resort in Nyanga gets under way.
Triathlon Zimbabwe administrator Carol PakenhamA� said the multiple stage competition involving the completion of three continuous endurance disciplines which are swimming, cycling and running, is sponsored by Coca-Cola, Hyundai, Bokomo Weet Bix, Bon Marche and DHL.
a�?2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the triathlon event as being sanctioned by the international triathlon union (ITU) as an African cup, which is a points scoring race for elite athletes. For the local athletes this event will also be the national championships. We are introducing aquathlon which we introduced to our events this season aimed at the schools. It incorporates run-swim-run as one continuous event for teams and also individuals also a first is the Schweppes Holdings Corporate team relay challenge which we know will grow year on year not only at Troutbeck but also at our local events,a�? Pakenham.
This is the first year that Bonaqua have been the title sponsor.
a�?They partner us financially and also with product and logistical support although Coca-cola as the partner brand, have been involved for four years. The event has to take place at Troutbeck owing to the safe, clean, disease and animal-free water at the venue and the good roads for the bike section. It is also vital to have a resort on site for all amenities, the infrastructure and logistical support has to be transported in entirety from Harare to the venue,a�? added Pakenham.
Triathlon ZimbabweA� have had the pleasure of hosting past Olympians such as Zimbabweans Chris Felgate, Richard Murray, Henri Schoeman, Kate Roberts, South African Gillian Sanders and Mauritian Fabienne St Louis.
On the competition day, the elites will do a 1 500m swim, 40km bike ride followed by a 10km run. The age group adults (20-65 years) will do the same distance, the juniors (Under-17 to Under-19) will do 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run as will age group adults (20-65 years) and teams, the youth (Under-13 to Under-15) and the corporate teams will do 375m swim, 10km bike, 2,6 km run. The men and women do compete separately at Championship and Elite level. For the rest, they all race together.
The junior and youth national teams were selected from their teams that competed at the South Africa Triathlon Championships that were held on 19 March. They will then compete at the African Triathlon Championships in Tunisia on 6 and 7 May. The Zimbabwean juniors will be racing against an invitation junior team from South Africa at Troutbeck as part of their preparations for Tunisia.
