How about a triathlon in Poznan?
Sunday August 4, 2013 at Lake Malta, Poland.
Poznań has proved that it is in good shape. A year after UEFA Euro 2012, the City will host another major event of international acclaim. On August 4, 2013 Lake Malta, located in the city centre, the host to many prestigious sporting events, will see the Poznań Triathlon. 1,500 participants from all over the world, including Agnieszka Jerzyk (Olympian) and Ryszard Grobelny (President of Poznań) will compete in swimming, cycling and running to test their stamina. Patronage over the event has been taken on by Julia Michalska, a bronze medallist at the Summer Olympic Games in London, and Marcin Urbaś, an athlete.
“The current popularity of an active lifestyle and the search for thrills in sports have made mass running events gain in popularity. Thousands of enthusiasts, hungry for some exercise, are not satisfied with marathons – they crave for new challenges. That’s why Poznań is taking another step to schedule triathlon championships, in August next year,” said Ryszard Grobelny, President of the City.
The Poznań Triathlon 2013 will feature two distances: Ironman 70.3-compliant, involving a 1.9km-long swimming race, 90km of cycling, and a 21.1km-long run (in that order), and half that distance.
It is hardly possible to think of any other city that would be better suited to hosting a triathlon tournament. The First triathlon competition took place in 1984 precisely in Poznań. The unique quality of the capital city of the Wielkopolska Region is the presence of fully-equipped sporting venues virtually in the city centre. The picturesque area by Lake Malta regularly hosts prominent sporting events, including, e.g., the World Championships in Canoeing.
Participants in the Poznań Triathlon will, as always, start the race in water. After they swim the required distance, they will shift to bikes to traverse the streets of Poznań encircling Lake Malta. The running section will feature the fast and spectacular asphalt route around the Lake. The finishing line will be located by the edge of the Lake. While cheering, residents of Poznań will be able to enjoy aerial stunts performed by the elite Żelazny group. The venue is easily accessible from the PKP Train Station. Competitors who arrive with their own bikes will be provided with special transportation from Ławica Airport.
The event has already enjoyed great popularity – the first few days after the registration was opened saw nearly 1,000 applicants. Anyone willing to participate can register until July 31, 2013.
