All set for Cayman Islands Triathlon

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 2 November 2016

Some of Cayman’s fittest athletes will put their endurance to the test on Sunday, 6 November when they compete in the Cayman Islands Triathlon presented by Cayman First.

Organisers expect more than 150 people to take part in the event that has been going for the past two decades. “We are so pleased that the Cayman Islands Triathlon is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year. It’s gaining popularity and it’s becoming the focus for a lot of people,” said Justine Plenkiewicz of the Cayman Islands Triathlon Association.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of new faces at our build-up triathlons that we have done these last few weeks. We might actually hit the high 150s or 170 this year,” she added.

The event, which starts at Public Beach will be competed over two distances: A sprint triathlon and an Olympic distance triathlon. The sprint event consists of a 750-metre swim, 12-mile bike ride and a three-mile run. The Olympic distance features a 1,500-metre swim, a 24.8-mile bike ride and a 6.2-mile run.

“For people who are thinking that sounds like a big challenge, we also have a team option for the Olympic distance. If you’re a swimmer or you’re a runner, you can always take part with your friends and try your first triathlon,” Plenkiewicz explained.

Registration for the event closes the day before with online registrations closing on Friday, 4 November. “If you miss our online registration cutoff, you can always come and see us on Saturday. We’re going to be at Governors Square and you can register there in person,” she said.

The minimum age is 15 years (or 13 years for a team swimmer). Parent or a legal guardian should complete registration form for those under 18.

Check-in will open at 6:00 a.m. on race day. Organisers have asked athletes to allow sufficient time to check-in. The race will start at 6:45 a.m. sharp.

A post-race ceremony and awards will take place at Duke’s Seafood and Rib Shack. This year there will be some additional special awards: ITU-eligible Open Male, Open Female, Junior Male and Junior Female (age 16 to 19 years at December 31st); IOC-eligible Open Male, Open Female, Junior Male and Junior Female (age 15 to 18 years at December 31st).

Part of proceeds from the 2016 event will be donated to Have a Heart Cayman, which seeks to provide life-saving operations for children in the Caribbean at Health City Cayman Islands.