Yes, in Qatar we also love to swim, bike and run!
While only in its second season, the GMC TriSeries in Doha sold out for all three of its events in no time! Organized by TriClub Doha and Aspire, the series drew over 200 participants competing in each of the three events this winter season.
The series is primarily aimed at beginners and is a fantastic way to introduce the young and old to the awesome sport of triathlon! Hosted in the Aspire Zone in Doha, known for its top sport facilities and beautiful park, it creates the perfect backdrop to a wonderful series like this.
There are four race categories to choose from:
Kids (8-12yrs.) – 100m swim, 2.5km bike, 1.25km run; Junior (+13 yrs. & beginners) – 200m swim, 5km bike, 1.25km run and a TRY-Athlon category for +18 yrs. with distances of 250m swim, 10km bike, 2.5km run.
The normal Sprint Distance category for +18 yrs was comprised of a 500m swim, 20km bike, 5km run and can be entered as a individual or as team, which many of the more experienced triathletes entered to practice their racing or transition techniques for other bigger triathlons that they compete in around the region.
The swim takes place in the Aspire Academy 50m pool, afterwards the athletes did a quick transition to hop on the bike for the cycling leg of the race where they did a number of 5km laps in the Aspire Zone(depending on the race category they entered). The run also consists of 1–1.5km laps, which took participants past some of the football fields in the Zone; so it is a real treat and a truly great environment to be able to participate on these grounds with its inspiring facilities and awesome surroundings!
The series aims to include the whole family where almost anybody can participate due to the various distance options. It was a great way to get your feet wet (pun intended) in the culture of “swim, bike run” action. The route layout was also very spectator friendly so the whole family can join for the day and support the athletes as they come past, which for us as athletes, is definitely a bonus and creates a great atmosphere!
We were fortunate to witness some great performances from seasoned triathletes in this year’s GMC series. With participants ranging from young to old, with expats from many different nationalities represented and local Qataris competing as well, the series offers so much more than just a chance to compete. It created an atmosphere to share stories and training tips, to build friendships as well as confidence, and allow for a community to develop around the sport.
The old adage is still true: in triathlon you are always racing against yourself. The GMC race series gives you exactly that opportunity to repeat the same race in the same conditions, which makes it easy to measure your progress and improvement. And even though we were comparing times and splits, it was still a wonderful sense of camaraderie and support from everyone competing. And with such exceptional organization by the Triclub Doha group, with marshals pointing out every bend in the route, it made the entire experience even more enjoyable.
One of the definite highlights over the past two years has been the Junior category. With enthusiastic parents (some of them competing as well) encouraging the young ones on, everyone was inspired by the way these kids gave their all in each race. And the pure sense of enjoyment was there for all to see, giving the adults a good boost and showcasing the sport of triathlon as a truly inclusive and superb activity for all to enjoy.
The series enjoyed fantastic support from race sponsors, which includes Mannai Corporation through the GMC brand;
Aspire Logistics (race facilities); Carbon Wheels Bike Shop (bike technicians); HMC (medical support &ambulances); Circle Qatar (exhibition set-up); Trinity (race marshals) & Dow Photography (race photos) ensuring every moment is captured. Without these event partners involved it would just not be the same, and their support has seen this competition rapidly expanding in just its second season.
The third and final event took place on the 25th of April where afterwards, the overall winners for the series were announced at the season’s final prize giving awards on the 29th of May.
Be inspired and get your training wheels ready for the 2015/2016 season!
Words by: Eulogy van Dyk
Photos by: Dow Photography
