Martinique's Clement Briere is set to defend his men's Olympic Distance Triathlon title while a new women's champion will be crowned due to the absence of last year's winner, Canada's Meagan Lamers when the 12th annual Massy Rainbow Cup Triathlon sanctioned by the T&T Triathlon Federation (T&TTF) comes off at the Turtle Beach Heritage Park, Tobago, next Saturday.
This was stated by former national champion and now event organiser Jason Gooding when the launch of this year's event was held at Massy Properties Training Room, Edward Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday.
In addition to Briere, three other of his French compatriots as well as World Age-Group silver medallist Jackson Laundry with four of his Canadian countrymen and Venezuela's Teylor Arboleda will lead the title challenge from the international field. Among the regional entrants, Jamaica's Jassette Bromfield, Marc De Caul of Grenada, Jason Costelloe, the top local last year and Matthew Chung are the headliners.
With Lamers unable to make the journey to Tobago this time around, Gooding said the women's field will be a very wide open one with a number of international athletes including a few from Venezuela and T&T's Jenna Ross, all in the fray for top honours.
In his brief address, Gooding said he was very greatful to Massy for coming on board for the past four to five years as the event and the sport in general has blossom into a household name.
Gooding noted that the event has grown so much that not only do they have the regular athletes from Canada, USA, Martinique, Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and Puerto Rico taking part, but for the first time an athlete from Kazakhstan has registered for the event which carries an overall prize package of more than $100,000.
For the Olympic Distance Triathlon main event, the sold out field will compete over a 1.5 km swim, 40 km cycling and 10 km run for a top prize of US$1,500.00 while second will get US$1,200, third US$1,000, fourth US$800 and US$600 for fifth in both the men and women categories.
In the Sprint Distance Triathlon (750 km swim/20 k cycling/5 km run) event for which locals Joshua Ho and Lily Stauble are the reigning champions, the competitors will go after a first prize of US$2,000, while second to fifth gets US$1,500, US$1,000, US$800 and US$600 respectively.
The other categories are the National Senior Championship which will have two classes (Olympic Distance and Sprint Distance) as well a Junior Championship (Under-23) to be contested using the Sprint Distance).
A notable change to the event this year will be the omission of the Open Water Swim which started three years ago as Gooding said the number of entries has not increased from its regular average of 50 to 60 persons. They decided to exclude it and focus on the triathlon and 5 km run for a shorter day of activities.
Due to the shorter number of events, Gooding said it will now allow for a 7 am start of competition beginning with the Olympic Distance Triathlon and with a few more days before it takes place, the event is almost a sold-out one in each category.
Michael Phillips, chairman of the Sport Company of T&T (SporTT) in his address, was quick to praise the work being done by Gooding and his Rainbow Warriors Triathlon Club in the staging of such a prestige, well-organised event which helps to promote Sports Tourism and categorised it as a National Asset event.
The sponsors include Massy, Odessey Timing, Gatorade, Tourism Development Company, StreamEvents.TV, Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Rainbow Warriors Tri Club, Subway, Sport Company of T&T (Sportt), Mike's Bikes, Grafton Beach Resort, Baptist Health International, Alamo, Caribbean Airlines, T&T Triathlon Federation, Blue Waters, Renew and Classic Awards Limited.
Schedule
2016 Massy 12th annual Rainbow Cup
Venue: Turtle Beach, Heritage Park, Tobago:
Saturday June 11: Schedule of Events
Olympic Distance Triathlon (1.5km swim/40km cycle/10k run): 7 am
Sprint Distance Triathlon (750km swim/20km cycle/5km run): 7.02 am
Sprint Relay Triathlon (750km swim/20km cycle/5km run): 7.02 am
Youth (10-12 Age-Group) Triathlon (375km swim/10km cycle/2.5km run): 11.30 am
Youth (13-15 Age-Group) Triathlon (375km swim/10km cycle/2.5km run): 11.30 am
Try-A-Tri Triathlon (375km swim/10km cycle/2.5km run): 11.30 am
Youth (7-9 Age-Group) Triathlon: 1 pm
Fun Walk/Run 5K: 1.30 pm
2016 Rainbow Cup Triathlon Prize Structure:
Olympic Distance:
Men/Women: 1. US$1,500; 2. US$1,200; 3. US$1,000; 4. US$800; 5. US$600
Sprint Distance:
Men/Women: 1. US$2,000; 2. US$1,500; 3. US$1,000; 4. US$800, 5. US$600
National Senior Championship:
Men/Women: 1. TT$3,000; 2. TT$1,500; 3.TT$1,000
Sprint Distance Relay:
Open: 1.TT$1,200; 2. TT$900; 3. TT$600
5K Run:
Men/Women: 1. TT$1,200; 2. TT$1,000; 3. TT$800, 4. TT$600; 5. TT$400.