PHUKET: The 2011 Laguna Phuket Triathlon has smashed through the 1000 entries barrier for the first time in its 18-year history to underline Phuket's growing reputation as a top-class international triathlon destination.
With a total of 1078 athletes from 41 countries registered - 985 individual entries and 31 relay teams - Sunday's Phuket 'Race of Legends' is shaping to be the most spectacular to date
The Phuket professional field is led by defending champion Italian Massimo Cigana, who will be seeking to beat the course record of 02:24:56 set in 2009 by Olympic gold medalist Jan Frodeno of Germany.
And the Phuket professional women's contest will see defending champion and multiple Ironman winner Australian Belinda Granger battling it out with returning 2009 champion Radka Vodickova of the Czech Republic.
The 'Race of Legends' title is a tribute to the legendary triathletes who have contested the Laguna Phuket Triathlon over the years, and this year's event is no exception with a pro field that includes the Italian duo of Alberto Cassadei and Edith Niederfriniger, Sweden's Frederick Croneberg and Katje Rabe of Germany.
Personal Achievements
But as well as high-calibre professional performances, Laguna Phuket Triathlon is also renowned for personal achievements made by hundreds of triathlon devotees who flock to challenge themselves in the picturesque landscape of Phuket, the Thai paradise island.
Among the 985 age group category entries Hong Kong leads the field with 260 entries of country nationals and expats - and Thailand is second with 217, demonstrating its booming triathlon enthusiasm.
Other regional countries such as Singapore, China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan are all strongly represented, as well as the US, Britain and Australia.
There are also Phuket entries representing more far-flung countries such as Argentina, Norway, Luxembourg and Latvia.
Enthusiasm Spanning Ages and Nationalities
The Phuket event's age group categories contain entries demonstrating triathlon's unique appeal across all ages and nationalities.
In the male line-up, the youngest Phuket event entrant is 18-year-old Victor Kirstein of Denmark and the oldest 74-year-old Wilf Deck of Australia; and in the female category youngest entrant is 18-year-old Lauren Smith of Australia and oldest is 62-year-old Lenore McLaughlin of the US.
Another Phuket veteran is 62-year-old Australian Brian Hardaker - returning to compete in his 17th Laguna Phuket Triathlon.
And watch out for newcomer Tim Haddon, director of Golf at Laguna Phuket Golf Club - who has been on a six-month fitness regime, shedding 13 kilos to transform himself from a self-confessed couch potato with health conditions to full-on fitness freak, in a bid to compete his first-ever triathlon.
Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship
Laguna Phuket Triathlon is a curtain-raiser to the second Phuket Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship, an even more demanding triathlon that will be staged at Laguna Phuket a week later on Sunday December 4.
An expanded field of pro athletes will be contesting for a slice of its US$75,000 purse, led by Ironman legend Michael Raelert of Germany and reigning Ironman 70.3 World Champion Melissa Rollison of Australia, who placed second in Phuket last year.
Laguna Phuket Triathlon also kicks off the week-long Tri-Fest carnival of sporting and social activities at Laguna Phuket leading up to the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship.
Michael Ayling, managing director of Laguna Resorts and Hotels, said: ''Our Laguna Phuket Triathlon is established as an annual event that draws hundreds of triathlete devotees from all corners of the globe to our paradise island.
''It's also draws many people from local Phuket communities together to help us stage the event.
''We're very appreciative of the support we receive from the Phuket provincial government and its communities that enables this internationally-renowned triathlon to take place so successfully.''
About the Laguna Phuket Triathlon
Race begins at 6.30am with a three-wave swim start at the Laguna Beach Resort beachfront on Bang Tao Beach. The swim distance is 1.8km, with a 100m beach sprint to swim the last 620m across a lagoon. The bike course is 55km and the run course is a 12km route around the Laguna Phuket complex.
With a total of 1078 athletes from 41 countries registered - 985 individual entries and 31 relay teams - Sunday's Phuket 'Race of Legends' is shaping to be the most spectacular to date
The Phuket professional field is led by defending champion Italian Massimo Cigana, who will be seeking to beat the course record of 02:24:56 set in 2009 by Olympic gold medalist Jan Frodeno of Germany.
And the Phuket professional women's contest will see defending champion and multiple Ironman winner Australian Belinda Granger battling it out with returning 2009 champion Radka Vodickova of the Czech Republic.
The 'Race of Legends' title is a tribute to the legendary triathletes who have contested the Laguna Phuket Triathlon over the years, and this year's event is no exception with a pro field that includes the Italian duo of Alberto Cassadei and Edith Niederfriniger, Sweden's Frederick Croneberg and Katje Rabe of Germany.
Personal Achievements
But as well as high-calibre professional performances, Laguna Phuket Triathlon is also renowned for personal achievements made by hundreds of triathlon devotees who flock to challenge themselves in the picturesque landscape of Phuket, the Thai paradise island.
Among the 985 age group category entries Hong Kong leads the field with 260 entries of country nationals and expats - and Thailand is second with 217, demonstrating its booming triathlon enthusiasm.
Other regional countries such as Singapore, China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan are all strongly represented, as well as the US, Britain and Australia.
There are also Phuket entries representing more far-flung countries such as Argentina, Norway, Luxembourg and Latvia.
Enthusiasm Spanning Ages and Nationalities
The Phuket event's age group categories contain entries demonstrating triathlon's unique appeal across all ages and nationalities.
In the male line-up, the youngest Phuket event entrant is 18-year-old Victor Kirstein of Denmark and the oldest 74-year-old Wilf Deck of Australia; and in the female category youngest entrant is 18-year-old Lauren Smith of Australia and oldest is 62-year-old Lenore McLaughlin of the US.
Another Phuket veteran is 62-year-old Australian Brian Hardaker - returning to compete in his 17th Laguna Phuket Triathlon.
And watch out for newcomer Tim Haddon, director of Golf at Laguna Phuket Golf Club - who has been on a six-month fitness regime, shedding 13 kilos to transform himself from a self-confessed couch potato with health conditions to full-on fitness freak, in a bid to compete his first-ever triathlon.
Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship
Laguna Phuket Triathlon is a curtain-raiser to the second Phuket Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship, an even more demanding triathlon that will be staged at Laguna Phuket a week later on Sunday December 4.
An expanded field of pro athletes will be contesting for a slice of its US$75,000 purse, led by Ironman legend Michael Raelert of Germany and reigning Ironman 70.3 World Champion Melissa Rollison of Australia, who placed second in Phuket last year.
Laguna Phuket Triathlon also kicks off the week-long Tri-Fest carnival of sporting and social activities at Laguna Phuket leading up to the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship.
Michael Ayling, managing director of Laguna Resorts and Hotels, said: ''Our Laguna Phuket Triathlon is established as an annual event that draws hundreds of triathlete devotees from all corners of the globe to our paradise island.
''It's also draws many people from local Phuket communities together to help us stage the event.
''We're very appreciative of the support we receive from the Phuket provincial government and its communities that enables this internationally-renowned triathlon to take place so successfully.''
About the Laguna Phuket Triathlon
Race begins at 6.30am with a three-wave swim start at the Laguna Beach Resort beachfront on Bang Tao Beach. The swim distance is 1.8km, with a 100m beach sprint to swim the last 620m across a lagoon. The bike course is 55km and the run course is a 12km route around the Laguna Phuket complex.
Excellent. Congratulations to Laguna Phuket. It's events like this that really help put (and keep) Phuket on the map.
Posted by Duncan on November 23, 2011 09:02