Triton World Series announces its 2022 calendar with a pair of three-day races set to take place in Portugal in April and September.
A new name in triathlon events, the Triton World Series kicks off on 1-3 April 2022 in southern Portugal’s beautiful Algarve region with another race to follow in September.
The series has a different approach to most triathlon races with competitors taking on one discipline each day – swimming on Friday, cycling on Saturday and running on Sunday. The accumulated time for each leg gives your final finishing time and place in the overall classification.
There are three distance options to suit triathletes of all abilities, which also diverge from traditional triathlon distances.
- Short Triton: 1.5km swim, 60km bike, 12km run
- Middle Triton: 3km swim, 90km bike, 24 km run
- Long Triton: 4.5km swim, 120km bike, 36km run
Triton says the distances are based on the scientist Nikola Tesla’s theory of the three, six and nine. Distances will also vary from event to event depending on the location and conditions. The bike legs will also be draft legal with no triathlon/TT bikes allowed.
Meanwhile, the Triton World Series also offers a ‘mix and match’ setup allowing single sport athletes to take on a longer challenge where their strengths lie while also dipping their toes into the other disciplines in a more manageable way.
Of course, three days of racing means three medals on the line – or rather a special Mandala medal made up of three individual medals. The Triton team hopes that earning the meals will be as much of a spiritual experience as a physical one – combining the medal with the brand’s other core pillars of numerology (through the distances) andSisu mentality in the mental strength required to finish the race.
Triton Portugal – 1-3 April 2022
Similar models to the Triton World Series, such as Long Course Weekend, have already proven hugely successful and given the Algarve in southern Portugal boasts white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and 300 days of sunshine a year, it’s a tempting location for a weekend of hard racing and relaxing.
Athletes can fly to Faro airport, 75km from the race venue at Alvor Beach in Portimão where the organisers promise spectacular natural beauty. The Alvor Estuary features a series of lagoons considered of international ecological importance given their role as a stopover point for migratory birds.
Meanwhile, the dunes of the nearby Três Irmãos Beach are also home to several species of birds, micro-mammals, reptiles and insects. To the eastern end of Três Irmãos Beach, deeply sculpted cliffs rise up out of the sands, with rocky outcrops extending into the sea and along the seafront are many delicate plants, including sand couch-grass, alfalfa and eye-catching sea daffodils.
Swim
Swimming will take place 5km from Portimão in stunning turquoise coastal waters.
Bike
The bike legs will start and finish with a lap inside Portimao Race track and will also feature a 1000m climb to the Foia with some challenging inclines along the way.
Run
The run will start in Portimão and go over the spectacular ‘Arribas’ (cliffs) and ‘passadiços de madeira’ (wooden beach walkway), which should make for a unique running experience.
The courses for each discipline will feature one, two or three laps, depending on the distance chosen, which should make for a spectator friendly experience with plenty of on-course support. Once through the finish line, the official race hotel – the Pestana Blue Alvor – will also host the race village with expo, massage, athlete zone, recovery zone all included.
There will also be free swim, bike and run clinics and other surprises along with chill-out zones, several swimming pools, tennis courts and other sports facilities. Meanwhile bars and music will ensure even those not racing will get the most from this family-friendly resort.
The series’ second race will take place in northern Portugal in September. Keep an eye on the Triton World Series website for more details and announcements.
