The organizing team at Challenge Venice has confirmed the swim course for next year’s inaugural event, which takes place on 5 June 2016. The full distance Challenge Venice 2016 event, in what is universally regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful cities, has started to build momentum since the race was unveiled in June.
“Today we unveil the details of the swimming course thanks to this spectacular aerial image [below],” said Race Director Matteo Gerevini
“You can see the open sea between the transition zone of Parco San Giuliano and Venice itself. In this area, the water is clean, calm, constantly exchanged and in June tempered enough to allow for a swimsuit.
“It’s a very fast course since the triathletes will go straight to Venice swimming for 1.9K along ‘Ponte della Libertà’ bridge and then back towards T1 after leaving San Secondo Island behind. It seems that a ghost lives on this island…maybe a good reason to swim even faster!”
With the iconic Venetian skyline as a backdrop and a fast, flat course through the beautiful ‘Garden of Venice’ countryside, the organising team note that Challenge Venice is set to become ‘one of the most memorable and spectacular races in the world.’
Centred round one of Europe’s largest urban parks, the Parco San Giuliano, the race starts with the 3.8K two-lap swim in the calm internal lagoon in front of Venice with an expected water temperature of around 22C while the air temperature is usually about 24C in June.
The first 20K of the bike course is through the Mestre area before heading out into the countryside of Venice – the ‘Garden of Venice’. What follows are three laps of 46K, ‘totally flat and with a perfect asphalt, surrounded by beautiful Palladian villas, rivers and meadows, where it will be possible also for the spectator to follow the race from the water in a boat sailing in the Sile River!’
There are hotspots for spectators, close to typical Italian trattoria, where the fans can go from Parco San Giuliano by dedicated bus, and spend part of the day watching the bike course and tasting some great Italian food.
The 42.2K run course is all within Parco San Giuliano and the surrounding area over four laps that will give the possibility for spectators to see the athletes four times as they pass through the finish line area overlooking the Venice lagoon to the historic city beyond.
