Hamburg is always one of the most exciting stops on the ITU World Triathlon Series (ITU WTS) calendar, with a field of 10,000 age-groupers and crowds of 300,000 creating a unique atmosphere every year. This year, as well as two exciting elite sprint tri races, Hamburg hosts the 2013 ITU Triathlon Mixed Relay Championships.
Hamburg is the longest-standing venue on the ITU World Triathlon Series calendar, having hosted events since 2002, including the 2007 World Championships, but featured a twist last year with a fast and furious sprint distance race.
After such a successful event, the sprint race format will return again this year. Not only is Hamburg the oldest event on the WTS schedule, it also hosts ‘the world’s largest age-group triathlon’ with more than 10,000 athletes having raced in 2012.
Schedule
- Elite women – Saturday 20 July – 15:50 (UTC/GMT + 2)
- Elite men – Saturday 20 July – 18:00 (UTC/GMT + 2)
- ITU Triathlon Mixed Relay World Championships – Sunday 21 July – 15:00 (UTC/GMT + 2)
Sprint distance course
- Swim (750m) – Off a pontoon, athletes dive into an artificial lake within the city limits of Hamburg for a 2-lap swim. After the first lap there is a short landing with a 180-degree turn on land.
- Bike (20K) – Athletes will bike four laps of a 5km loop on a flat, technical course that includes eight sharp turns around down-town Hamburg.
- Run (5K) – Off the bike, athletes will run two laps of a 2.5K loop on a flat course. There are two 180-degree turns per lap.
Mixed relay course
- Each participating country will be allowed to enter two relays of four athletes (two men and two women). The teams will compete in the order of female-male-female-male. After each athlete finishes his or her swim-bike-run segment, he or she will tag the next athlete in the relay to make the exchange.
- Swim (300m) – The swim start is at ‘Kleine Alster’. There is one lap to swim. The turning point is directly behind Reesendammbrücke bridge. Therefore athletes have to swim through the tunnel twice. The swim exit is at Kleine Alster.
- Bike (6.6K) – Generally flat profile with no noteworthy climbs. There are two laps of 3.3K to ride; in total 6600m. The route is technically demanding, due to many changes of direction and tight turns.
- Run (1.6K) – Generally flat course. There are two laps to run, with one 180° turn per lap.
Total prize money:
- US$180,000 – equal for men & women
- US$70,000 – Mixed Relay
Live video coverage be available on race day at triathlon.org/tv or at @triathlonlive on Twitter.
