Alistair Brownlee to race long distance race in Abu Dhabi

The 2012 Olympic gold medalist, Alistair Brownlee announced he will be racing Abu Dhabi International Triathlon on March 2, 2013. Brownlee, from Great Britain is one of a number of Olympic athletes that have announced that they will venturing into distance racing in 2013.

Canada’s Simon Whitfield, women’s silver medalist in London Lisa Norden from Sweden, Spain’s Ivan Rana and New Zealand’s Bevan Docherty are just a few names that will hitting the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 circuit this year. Watch for the next edition of Triathlete Magazine Canada, which includes a feature on Olympic athletes making the jump to distance racing and will also reveal Whitfield’s race schedule year.

British Gold Medallist To Expand Competition Portfolio with 2013 Abu Dhabi Debut

From www.abudhabitriathlon.com

British gold medal winning Olympic triathlete and back-to-back European champion, Alistair Brownlee, has thrown his hat in the ring for the 2013 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, which holds one of the sport’s richest purses, as he looks to expand his competitive horizons.

Speaking on a trip to the United Arab Emirates’ capital, 24-year-old Brownlee, from Dewsbury, Yorkshire, confirmed he will start his 2013 season in March on the energy-sapping 111.5km Abu Dhabi short course – which comprises a 1.5km swim, 100km bike and 10kms run – and said that preparing for the warm Arabian temperatures would be a key factor in his winter training.

“I’ll be in the UK through the winter, where it will be freezing, so coming to Abu Dhabi will be a 30 degree temperature shift, and that is a big factor. I’ll need to change my training to suit that. I’ll be doing some sessions in a heat chamber and I’ll try to get away before the event to help acclimatise. I’ll also be setting up my bike differently to deal with the length as that has a major role to play in my success,” said Alistair, whose brother, Jonathan, took triathlon bronze in London 2012.

“I’m used to biking 40km so going up to 100km for Abu Dhabi will also be a challenge and is one I am looking forward to, especially as it goes around the Grand Prix track at Yas Marina Circuit. I want to start expanding my competitions to include other distances and starting next season in Abu Dhabi is part of that.”

The 2011 ITU champion, who has taken a break from training after his London 2012 triumph and enjoyed two days in Abu Dhabi, is relishing the chance to spend some more time in the UAE capital next year.

“It seems like ages since I won the gold medal in August; it took me a while to get over that but now I am ready to move on and get on with it. The biggest thing I am looking forward to in Abu Dhabi is the challenge of it; I’ve spent years and years doing the ITU circuit so the change in distance will be interesting as will racing against different competitors and doing a non-drafting race, which is a big change.

“I’m also looking forward to taking a few days off after the race and seeing the sights, I would love to get out in the desert, as I’ve never done that so it’s on my to-do list,” added Brownlee, who started training for triathlon aged eight.