Triathlon: TwinCities Triathlon
When: Sunday, July 24, 2011
Where: Harriet Island, St. Paul, Minnesota
Divisions: Age Group, Relay
Website: www.optumhealthperformance.com
A new and exciting triathlon event in our own backyard of the Twin Cities, MN has been announced. OptumHealth Performance will be staging the inaugural TwinCities Triathlon event in downtown St. Paul in July of 2011. St. Paul's Harriet Island, on the edge of the mighty Mississippi River and countless events in Minnesota will host the new Olympic and Sprint distance triathlon races.
Host to numerous grand scale events, Harriet Island offers breathtaking views of downtown St. Paul, the Wabasha Bridge and the Mississippi River. Its pavilion, band shell and large grassy area make it perfect to host an event of this caliber in an urban / downtown setting. Look for a roomy transition area and great access for spectators.
Course Details:
Get ready for your fastest swim ever! You will swim the 1.5km and 500yd point to point courses downstream in the Mississippi. The swim starts from the banks of the Mississippi and will offer more great views of the downtown skyline and the Wabasha Bridge. The Mississippi River will be closed to all boat traffic for a great and safe experience.
The 40km and 13mi bike courses will offer athletes a great mix of both urban and rural landscapes. The unique single loop bike courses will offer a little bit of everything: cool climbs, smooth roads, fast flats and great views. The bike course will begin by directing athletes up the infamous Ohio Street climb and on to Cherokee Ave. At that point the course will flatten out as it heads south on a single loop route that takes athletes on wide and smooth shoulders will help athletes keep moving forward at a fast pace. When they return they will be greeted with another great view of the St. Paul skyline.
Athletes will head out of transition to the east and wind their way onto Wabasha Ave and up and over the Wabasha Bridge for a 10km or 5km run. Spectacular views of downtown St. Paul and the mighty Mississippi River should motivate on the out and back course all the way back to the finish line.
Registration is now open for the inaugural running of what organizers believe will become one of the country's best urban triathlons, and we have to agree. You can register for either the Olympic or Sprint Distance Triathlon races with this link. This is a USAT sanctioned event.
This will be the second triathlon event for OptumHealth Performance; they also run the early season Manitou Triathlon in White Bear Lake, MN in June.
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