Waterways Ireland triAthlone has a race for everyone; from Beginners, to Intermediates and Elites.
The Swim
Our new swim starts on the Connaught side of the River Shannon, beside transition area at the Athlone Boat Club. The spectacular 54m Inland & Coastal Marina Systems Pontoon will again form the focal point of swim entry. For the Sprint-Distance race, athletes will swim 350m down and then back up stream. For the Olympic-Distance age group race athletes will complete the same loop as the sprint except that they will continue past the pontoon, upriver, under the railway bridge and then back down the river to exit at the pontoon. The ITU european cup race, athletes will do the sprint swim course twice. Try a triathlon participants will enter the water 200m upstream from the swim exit. Should the river current be strong we have an alternate downstream swim for everyone.
The Bike
The new course this year will be held on fully closed roads. The course sets off from Transition on Grace Road, and continues out the rolling Roscommon roads to the picturesque village of Brideswell and then back. Olympic distance athletes will complete 2 laps of this bike course. Elite athletes will complete a fast tight shorter 8 lapped course taking in the castle and west side of the town.
The Run
The most exciting part of the race is our run route. The narrow town centre streets of Old-Athlone’s “”West-Bank”” plays host to the event once again. Athletes will complete 2 laps (sprint) and 4 laps (Olympic) of a 2.5k route that starts in the province of Connaught. Athletes run past Athlone’s historical Castle, down and back up Grace Road along the banks of the River Shannon, before crossing into Leinster and onto Church Street where the Finish, Recuperation and Baggage-Drop area is at the Civic Centre Plaza in the shadow of the stunning new Athlone Town Centre. This route will create a fantastic atmosphere as spectators will see athletes a total of 3 times every lap.
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