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11
Jul
Olympic champions expected at Ripon Triathlon Festival
The annual Ripon Triathlon Festival takes place this weekend.
Around 1,200 athletes and 5,000 spectators are expected to be present at the event, which starts at Ripon Racecourse.
The festival will combine adult and junior triathlon races with live music and entertainment. Food and drink stalls will be operating all weekend.
Saturday (July 12) will host the junior races, with events for athletes between eight and 18 years old.
Sunday features adult races including sprint and Olympic distances, and individual, relay and aquabike formats. Aquabike is a form of triathlon that excludes running.
Picture: www.ripontriathlonfestival.co.uk
Sprint distance comprises of a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike and five-kilometre run.
Olympic distance comprises of a 1500-metre swim, 40-kilometre bike and 10-kilometre run.
The racecourse lake will be used for swimming events.
Ripon Jetski club will also be present, offering taster sessions for water sports.
Amongst those present at the festival will be Olympic champions, brothers Alastair and Jonny Brownlee.
On Saturday, Jonny will host a run club at 3pm, where attendees can join the triathlete for a two-kilometre or four-kilometre run.
At 4pm the brothers will then host a Q&A session. The festival website says there will be ‘special guest appearances’.
Alastair and Jonny Brownlee at last year's event. Picture: www.ripontriathlonfestival.co.uk
The event is organised by Ripon Triathlon Club and The Brownlee Foundation, which collaborate yearly to put on the event. Funds raised goes to the two organisations.
The Brownlee Foundation puts on regular events for school children with the aim of introducing them to triathlon.
Registration closed yesterday (July 10).
The full event schedule is as follows:
Saturday July 12
8am – Registration opens
10am – Open water swim (750 metres, 1500 metres)
11am – Junior races begin
11am – Tristart (Born 2017)
11:15am – Tristar 1 (Born 2015/16)
11:30am – Tristar 2 (Born 2013/14)
12pm – Tristar 3 (Born 2011/12)
12pm – Youths (Born 2009/10)
12pm – Live music
1:15pm – Award presentations
2pm – Water sports demonstration
2:30pm – Water sports taster
3pm – Jonny Brownlee run club
4pm – Q&A with Alastair and Jonny Brownlee
Sunday July 13
6:30am – Registration opens
9am – Adult races begin
9am – Sprint distance
10am – Open water swim (750 metres, 1500 metres)
11am – Olympic distance
12:30pm – Live music
1:30pm – Award presentation
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