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Excitement builds for MetaMan Bintan race
Excitement is building for Indonesiaâs favorite and most anticipated Full- and Half-iron distance triathlon, taking place this weekend on the beautiful resort island of Bintan
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xcitement is building for Indonesia's favorite and most anticipated Full- and Half-iron distance triathlon, taking place this weekend on the beautiful resort island of Bintan.
The MetaMan Bintan is returning to Indonesia for a third time in one of the country's most stunning locations, where nearly 500 of the world's top athletes from Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Thailand will fiercely compete for this year's crown.
The MetaMan Bintan offers one of the largest prize purses for a triathlon in the world. The top five finishers, male and female, will share US$134,000, with the winners taking home $30,000 each.
'Although it is only in its third year, the popularity of the MetaMan Bintan is growing fast among the world's triathlon elite as well as amateur triathletes from Asia and Australia,' Nathalie Marquet, managing director of the Singapore-based event organizer, MetaSport, said in a press release.
'These dedicated athletes have trained for months for this event, which will result in what promises to be an electrifying triathlon finish,' she said.
Last year's winner, Courtney Ogden, and New Zealand's iron distance legend, Cameron Brown, are set to race in the Full iron distance, while Indonesia's superstar triathlete and Olympic swimmer, Andy Wibowo, who was the runner-up last year in the Half iron distance, is determined to beat his previous time.
The MetaMan Bintan provides endurance athletes with a unique race, which will start and finish in the stunning grounds of the Nirwana Gardens Resort.
The heat and high humidity will test their physical abilities in the competitive swim, bike and run to the finish line.
The favorite event remains the MetaMan Half, which comprises a 1.9 kilometer swim, 90 km bike ride and 21.1 km run.
For the first time, the event will award a separate Indonesian Championship prize. The first male and female winner across each distance (Full, Half and Blitz), will be crowned Indonesian Champion and win prize money of $500, $200 and $100, respectively.
Competing in Indonesia offers Andy an added incentive.
'To race in my own country is like having an extra energy boost,' he said. 'Last year almost all the spectators along the run course were cheering me on. It was a wonderful feeling.'
'We're so encouraged by the response to registration in all categories of MetaMan Bintan 2014,' Marquet said.
'To be presenting such an exciting and professional event in Indonesia ' a country we've always found so supportive of sporting events ' just adds to the fantastic spirit of the whole competition.'
