T

he fifth annual Biznet Bali International Triathlon is set to return to Jimbaran Bay on June 26, with a record number of international athletes expected to participate in the individual and team categories in the Olympic-distance and sprint-distance races.

In the community-based event organizers call a “triathlon for the soul”, participants will swim in the tropical waters of Jimbaran Bay, followed by running and cycling through Nusa Dua and Ungasan peninsula.

The Olympic-distance race comprises a 1.5-kilometer swim, 42-kilometer cycling race and 10-kilometer run. The sprint-distance race begins with a 500-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike race and 5-kilometer run. The Olympic-distance event will start at 7 a.m. in front of the Four Seasons Resort, while the sprint-distance event starts 30 minutes later.

A 5-kilometer fun run will also take place this year as a bonus event in a race that has won numerous awards. Bali was hailed the Top Triathlon Destination by US magazine Competitor.

In its fifth year, the event has gained better recognition, as it has managed to attract a larger number of participants, event director Andreas Kansil said Friday.

“We are seeing a 35 percent increase in the number of participants this year compared to 2010. We expect to attract more than 500 athletes from 15 different countries, as well as thousands of spectators,” he said, adding that the actual number of participants each year always exceeded expectations.

In 2010, 438 people took part in the race, slightly higher than the predicted 400.

Andreas said the race had a bright future, as did other similar races in Bali, as the island had the potential to become a prime destination for many endurance and extreme races.

“We have come onto the scene at a time when young Indonesians are looking for new sporting challenges.”

The winner of the 2009 and 2010 race in the women’s category, Michelle Mitchell, will return for this year’s race.

“Since racing in Bali, my triathlon has been going really well. I love the ‘triathlon for the soul’, and my husband and I are really looking forward to making it back again this year,” the Australian professional said.

Indonesian Olympic swimming legend Richard Sam Bera will also return to the competition.

“It’s a must-do annual race to see what I can do, in one of the most beautiful places on earth,” he said.