Gun fires for Washington Olympic and Sprint Trathlon tomorrow

Published 2:02 pm Friday, July 24, 2015

DAVID CUCCHIARA | DAILY NEWS DOWN TO THE WIRE: Triathletes enter the home stretch of last year’s Washington Triathlon held in Washington Park.

DAVID CUCCHIARA | DAILY NEWS
DOWN TO THE WIRE: Triathletes enter the home stretch of last year’s Washington Triathlon held in Washington Park.

WASHINGTON PARK — On your mark, get set, go!

Local and visiting athletes alike will lineup near the Washington Park waterfront tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m. to take part in the 2015 Washington Olympic and Sprint Triathlons, a grueling three-part test of physical ability.

The Olympic race features a 1500-meter open water swim, a 24-mile bike ride and a 10-kilometer run. In total, the distance equates to roughly 33 miles. The Sprint race offers a shortened version of the three events.

“The downtown is a great environment for the race, a lot of stuff for the competitors to do,” said Jason Biggs, the race organizer. I think the riverfront where Washington Park is located is probably our best venue, as far as everything is close by and the transitions are all right there.

The triathlon is an FSSeries-sanctioned event and will take roughly two hours to complete, beginning with a triangular clockwise swim, which exits onto a sandy beach 25 yards from the transition area. Competitors will then need to mount their bikes and traverse a completely flat loop course starting in Washington Park, snaking down River Road, looping at MCCotters Marina Road and coming back towards the transition area in Washington Park. Those who choose the Olympic version will have to do the loop twice.

The run course will be out and back through downtown Washington along the waterfront with the finish line across the street from the transition area, which opens at 6 a.m. All bikes must be placed in the position before the transition area closes at 7:45 a.m.

Parking will not be allowed in Washington Park, as all race traffic will be directed to Haven’s Garden on River Road near the boat ramp.

Commuters driving this morning should plan an alternate route to avoid race traffic.