Triathlon de Portocolom 2014 – the 17th edition of the Balearic triathlon – will be held on 13 April 2014 in Portocolom, on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Registration for popular 55.5K and 111K events are now open. More than 700 athletes enjoyed the 2013 edition and, in 2014, the number of participants will be limited to 800 (400 slots for each race in the 55.5K and 111K format).
Portocolom, located in the southern half of the east coast of the Balearic island of Mallorca, about 70km from Palma, is one of the earliest triathlon events of the European season; and the bike ascent to Sant Salvador is one of the most interesting spots to test the early season form of the participating triathletes.
Portocolom is an especially pleasant spot to start training and racing in Europe due to its nice weather in April; and Mallorca has great flight connections to a number of main European cities. In 2013, athletes from 16 different countries came to race and enjoyed a demanding bike segment after a short swim leg in the Mediterranean sea.
The competition will be held in the Portocolom Club Nautic. Both races, over 111K and 55.5K, will utilise the same course in 2014. 111K participants will do two loops of each while 55.5K athletes will complete only one.
The swim will take place in Portocolom’s harbour; the bike loop will take them along a rolling course including the spectacular climb of Sant Salvador, well known by thousands of triathletes and cyclists who visit Mallorca each year, with its 494m height and awesome views towards the island and the south east coast. The run will take athletes from the old town along the beaches of Portocolom bay before they cross the finish line.
During the last edition, former Spanish pro cyclist Toni Colom and German Natascha Schmitt took victory at the Triathlon de Portocolom on the 111K format; and there were some celebrities racing at Portocolom, such as former professional cyclist Marcel Wust (19th overall) and Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz.
At both races, the event aims to offer a high quality experience to the participating triathletes, including: athletes’ bag-goodies, side events, such as the Expo and the Awards Ceremony, and the TriKids Duathlon on Saturday 12 April 2014. Triathlon Portocolom is open for individual athletes, or relay teams that can be composed of two or three participants.
