An international triathlon event will be hosted at the newly revamped Germiston Lake Park, on November 3.
The Ekurhuleni 5150 African Championship is part of the global 5150 (pronounced fifty-one-fifty) series, consisting of 18 events across four continents.
The name (5150) originates from the distances involved, namely a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run. When added together, the total is 51.50km, hence the name 5150.
A triathlon is a multiple-stage competition. While many variations of the sport exists, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance disciplines; swimming, cycling and running in immediate succession over various distances.
The Ekurhuleni 5150 African Championship forms the flagship event in the series in Africa and is the second 5150 event in South Africa after the 5150 Bela Bela Triathlon.
This is a brief break down of the course:
- Swim – athletes will start in waves, according to age categories, with each wave starting at 15 minutes intervals.
Athletes will swim in an anti-clockwise direction, completing a single rectangular lap before exiting the water and heading towards transition.
- Cycle – it’s then out of the swimming gear and onto the 40km bike course; a single lap course of 20km out and 20km back.
- Run – finally, off the bike and running shoes on.
The relatively flat 10km run course consists of one and two thirds of almost identical laps.
Athletes will leave transition on the new walkway, along the lake edge, towards the far side of Germiston Lake Park, completing the race.
As an athlete or spectator, the Ekurhuleni 5150 African Championship is a race not to be missed, as it will be the biggest ever standard distance triathlon in Africa.
History will be made at Germiston Lake as the inaugural 5150 African Champion will be crowned this November.
Entries to the event have just closed and over 1 300 athletes entered.
“As the event takes place in Germiston, starting and finishing at the Germiston Lake, we ideally want to give as much information to the public as possible with regard to the event itself and issues such as road closures and spectator information,” said Michael Flanagan, media and PR coordinator for World Endurance Africa Holdings.
