TriStar Mallorca has become Triathlon Portocolom – keeping the event alive in Mallorca, Spain, for 15 years and helping triathletes continue to take in the sights of the beautiful traditional village of Portocolom on the Mediterranean sea.
Utilising TriStar’s 55.5 and 111 formats, the international Triathlon de Portocolom is back to its traditional date, 7 April, to get an early start to the European tri season in one of the most beautiful spots in Mallorca. The event already has more than 300 registered triathletes as Triathlon Portocolom replaces the former TriStar Mallorca after two editions. The replacement follows structural challenges at Star Events, the company behind the TriStar format.
The fun course will be exactly the same as previous TriStar editions, including the thrilling Sant Salvador cycling climb.
On 7 April, Portocolom in Mallorca is ready to welcome again athletes from all over Europe to showcase one of the earliest triathlon events of the 2013 season. The competition is now organised as it was in previous years by local tri club Triatló Portocolom and Ajuntament de Felanitx (the municipal council). All registered athletes for TriStar Mallorca will be on the starting list after registering through the Star Events website.
The event’s 55.5 format comprises 0.5K of swimming, 50K of cycling and 5K of running. The 111 format involves 1K of swimming, 100K of cycling and 10K of running. Both distances will take athletes on the same course profile. Triathlon Portocolom 111 participants will do two loops of each while 55.5 athletes will complete only one.
The swim will take place in Portocolom’s harbour; the bike loop will take athletes along a rolling course including the spectacular climb of Sant Salvador, well known by thousands of triathletes and cyclists who are visiting Mallorca each year, with its 494m height and awesome views towards the island and the southeast coast. The run will take athletes from the old town along the beaches of Portocolom bay before they cross the finish line.
Jaume Vicens, the Race Director during the fifteen previous editions of the event is leading the event once again with the support of his local team, the local triathlon club Triatló Portocolom, Ajuntament de Felanitx and local sports events company Kumulus.
“After these two great years we aim to keep organizing a great event for the triathletes,” said Vicens. “For 15 years the triathlon has been organized in Portocolom and has always received top ratings in terms of quality and atmosphere, and this is what we are bringing again on 7 April. We know that athletes really appreciate this fun format early in the season in this unique setting.
“The huge effort of the local institutions, suppliers, volunteers, athletes and the local community to keep hosting the event is proof of our commitment to the sport of triathlon,” he added.
Amongst both races, the event is offering a similar experience to the triathletes: with athletes’ goodie-bags, side events such as the Expo and the Awards Ceremony, and the TriKids Duathlon for kids, on Saturday 6 April.
Triathlon Portocolom is also open for individual athletes or relay teams that can be composed of two or three participants.
The authentic village of Portocolom is located in the southern half of the east coast of the Balearic island of Mallorca, about 70km from Palma. The village belonging to the municipality of Felanitx is popular for not providing mass commercialisation – so those looking for water parks and endless karaoke bars will need to look elsewhere. Portocolom has the largest natural harbour of the island, and claims to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, whose voyages led to general European awareness of the American continents.
