CLAYTON CLARKE
gmsports@guardian.co.tt
Over 350 participants have registered to compete in this year's Rainbow Cup Triathlon set for Turtle Beach, Black Rock in Tobago, on Saturday.
The first race, the Olympic Distance Triathlon, is carded for 7 am with 26 runners listed to compete in the 1.5 km swim, 40K ride and 10K run. Somen 80 competitors have entered the Spring Triathlon (75mK/20K/5K).
Race director Jason Gooding says 20 teams are down to contest the Sprint Triathlon.
He said: "We have 19 registered. We were catering for 80 in the kids' triathlon, we got 76. In the Tri-A-Tri we got 18. In the 5K, we for 150 and all those spots are sold out right now."
Gooding adds he is happy the event is returning to its pre-COVID status, saying: "The response has been phenomenal. We are very excited to have this event this year. This is the first real year back in full swing. We did have a reintroduction to COVID which we have last year. We really didn't push it. We had it but we had very little sponsorship so I didn't go all out. This year we are going all out. (We) still need some more sponsorship but we are happy that we had more than we had last year."
Winner of the 2022 Women's Olympic distance triathlon Jenna Ross is scheduled to be among the starters this year while defending men's sprint triathlon champion Jason Castelloe will seek to take the Olympic distance crown. Kaya Ramkine-Beadle will be out to retain the ladies' sprint title.
Last year's youth winners Stella Scott, Maleah Butler and Ty Scott are all set to be on show this year. Runner-up in the men's 5K Elvis Turner will be aiming for the top spot this year.
National women's footballer Asha James, who plays professionally in Portugal, is listed to compete.
2022 Winners
Olympic Distance: Jenna Ross (women) John Littlepage (men)
Sprint-Individual: Kaya Ramkine-Beadle (women); Jason Castelloe (men)
Try-a-Tri: Sydelle Johnson (women); Guswil George (men)
Youth Tri
7-9: Stella Scott (girls); Ty Scott (boys)
11-12: Maleah Butler (girls); Joshua Alexander (boys)
13-15: Steffi Scott (girls); Liam D'Abadie (boys)
5K: Jessica Saunders (women); Nkosi Toney (men)
Saturday's schedule
Olympic Distance Triathlon (1.5K/40K/10K), 7 am
Sprint Triathlon-Individual & Team (750m/20K/5K), 7.01 am
Try-a-Tri/11-12&13-15 Triathlon (375m/10K/2.5K), 11 am
7-9 Tri (100m/1K/500m) 1 pm
1K Run/Walk, 1.30pm