Abu Dhabi Triathlon Preview
$230 000 for the pros this Saturday.
One of the richest races on the circuit gets its inaugural start this Saturday March 13th.
The long distance event (a 2 lap 3 km swim, a 200 km bike, and a 2 lap 20km run) offers up $250 000 US in prize money so there is sure to be some great racing. There is also a short distance race (1.5 km swim, 100 km bike, and 10 km run) for no prize purse.
Elite Prize Money Breakdown
1st  $50000
2nd  $20000
3rd  $15000
4th  $10000
5th  $7500
6th  $5000
7th  $3000
8th  $2000
9th  $1500
10th  $1000
Total of $230 000 ($115 000 x 2 – Â men’s and women’s categories)
Age Group Prize Money
>19 Â $1000
20-24 Â $1000
25-29 Â $1000
30-34 Â $1000
35-39 Â $1000
40-44 Â $1000
45-49 Â $1000
50-54 Â $1000
55-59 Â $1000
60+ Â $1000
Total of $20 000 ($10 000 x 2 – men’s and women’s categories)
The swim takes place in a lagoon shadowed by the world famous 6 star Emirates Palace hotel, while the bike and run course will weave through the scenery of of Abu Dhabi.
With a $230 000 US prize purse on the line, and no 8% rule (finish within 8% of the winning time or collect no prize money) to worry about, the professional start list is littered with many of the fastest athletes in the sport. Tereza Macel (Triathlon Magazine Canada’s Triathlete of the Year) leads the charge for the Canadians. She will be joined by Samantha McGlone, and our resident blogger, Tara Norton. Check out the professional start list below. There are 70 of them!
Long Distance Professional Start List
Faris Al-Sultan
Björn Andersson
Rutger Beke
Simon Billeau
Miquel Blanchart Tintó
Dirk Bockel
Virginia Berasategui Luna
Heleen bij de Vaate
Hillary Biscay
Andi Boecherer
Dann Brook
Fraser Cartmell
Leanda Cave
Tine Deckers
Victor Manuel Del Corral Morales
Julie Dibens
Martina Dogana
Mikel Elgezabal
Aaron Farlow
Isabelle Ferrer
Joe Gambles
Michaela Giger
Sofie Goos
Glen Gore
Philip Graves
Leon Griffin
Mathias Hecht
Rasmus Henning
Nicole Hofer
Heather Jackson
Pete Jacobs
Bert Jammaer
Rob Johnson
Rachel Joyce
Ain-Alar Juhanson
Rebekah Keat
Irene Kinnegim
Lisbeth Kristensen
Kristina Lapinova
Joanna Llawn
Carrie Lester
Eneko Llanos
Tereza Macel
Lisa Marangon
Olivier Marceau
Samantha McGlone
Catriona Morrison
Guillot Myriam
Renee Nicholls
Tara Norton
Domenico Passuello
Sebastian Pedraza
Francisco Pontano
Jordan Rapp
Bryan Rhodes
Ronnie Schildknecht
Caroline Steffen
Swen Sundberg
Georg Swoboda
Raynard Tissink
Maik Twelsiek
Richard Ussher
Petr Vabrousek
Anu Vaidyanathan
Frederik Van Lierde
Yvonne Van Vlerken
Cameron Watt
Tove Wiklund
Rob Woestenborghs
Rafael Wyss
Lucie Zelenkova