Saturday, May 31, 2014

Press Release: METAMAN BINTAN LURES IN TRIATHLETES WITH ITS BEAUTIFUL COURSE AND OVER US$130,000 PRIZE PURSE



THE FAMED IRON DISTANCE TRIATHLON RETURNS FOR A THIRD SEASON THIS AUGUST WITH UPGRADES

28 May, 2014 (Singapore) – Indonesia’s most loved Full and Half iron distance triathlon returns for its third season, with the organisers targeting its highest number of participants yet. Held over three-days, Saturday, 23 August through to Monday, 25 August, the main race day will take place on Sunday, 24 August, amongst the stunning backdrop of lush jungle and crystal clear waters of the Indonesian resort island of Bintan – a 45 minute ferry ride from Singapore. Each year Metaman Bintan attracts some of the world’s best professional triathletes such as Australia’s Olympian Courtney Atkinson and Switzerland’s iron distance legend Caroline Steffen, making it one of the top competitions on the calendar.



Organised by MetaSport, a leading sports management company in Asia with its head office in Singapore, MetaMan Bintan will provide endurance athletes with a unique race that will test their mettle in the competitive swim, bike, run to the finish line. The favourite remains the MetaMan Half consisting of 1.9km swim – 90km bike – 21.1km run. The race returns with its Full Category and an all New Metaman Blitz as well.

Nathalie Marquet, Managing Director, MetaSport said, “Triathlons for any new comer can be intimidating. We want to encourage more enthusiasts to take up challenging endurance races and with the MetaMan Blitz category; it still allows participants to have a taste of the iron distance triathlons without the physical demand. However, our core events, the MetaMan Full and MetaMan Half remains a strong draw and we are encouraged by the response to these categories each year”.



New Category for the Non-Competitive
After a successful test event last year, the MetaMan Blitz is back. A perfect race for the non-competitive:

MetaMan Blitz
The Blitz will comprise of a 1.2km swim – 55km bike – 7km run. Created to encourage wider participation of endurance races, the MetaMan Blitz is an ideal category for first timers who want to try their hands at such demanding races without having to commit to grueling distances. The Blitz is also a chance for non-competitive participants to truly enjoy the nature of such events.

The two favourite categories returning are:
MetaMan Full – 3.8km swim – 180km bike – 42.2km run
MetaMan Half – 1.9km swim – 90km bike – 21.1km run



Spectacular Setting for a World-Class Race
Taking place in the northern part of Bintan, participants will set off from the sandy beaches of Nirwana Gardens Resort Hotel, before diving into the crystal clear waters of the South China Sea. After triumphing over the East-West currents, the swim route will bring them back to the island of Bintan where they will begin their bike route, cycling through lush jungle, alongside the calm blue sea and stunning beaches. With rolling hills as part of the terrain, the bike route will be the ultimate test.

The end of the bike route will signal what most professionals deem as the true start to the race, the marathon. The marathon route will take participants through the famed, Wakatobi Jungle Track. The jungle bed is soft making it ideal for such a challenging race, which is bordered with dense trees, providing a shady respite through the last stage of the race. The final stretch is the slight incline along the Mayang Sari Beach Resort, where participants will take on six, 7km laps, through the resort’s grounds, rallied by the support and energetic cheer from the spectators and organising team.

Deeper and More Attractive Prize Purse
With a total price purse of S$134,000, the top prize for both men and women pros of the MetaMan Full will be US$30,000. There will be prizes for the top 6 men and women of the MetaMan Full. Courtney Atkinson, former Australian Olympian and professional triathlete, and Caroline Steffen, former Ironman European Champion and Vice-World Champion, clinched top spots in their respective categories last year.

Training and Safety Never Compromised
MetaMan Bintan as has an impeccable safety record with no safety breaches for both its 2012 and 2013 races. Also, to ensure that participants are physically ready to take on the challenge, participants can sign up for catered training programmes that will take place in Singapore.

For MetaMan Half there is a 14-week training plan that can be purchased for USD$150 that will take you through a step-by-step plan from the moment you register till event day.

For MetaMan Full there are personalised programmes that can be purchased from USD$120 that are designed to be detailed and focused on your goals. Participants who prefer some physical guidance can also take part in group-training sessions for only S$12 per session. There will be 10 sessions every week taking place at different locations throughout Singapore and will be a great opportunity for participants to meet like minded enthusiasts and train alongside them in a fun yet disciplined environment.

Triathlon Training Camp
In addition to this, participants can also take part in a 2 night Triathlon Training Camp that takes place from the 1 August 2014 to 3 August 2014 held in Bintan itself. This provides participants with the chance to feel the route itself and also familiarise themselves with the location. The camp with also have trained coaches who can guide them with any difficulties they might be facing and comes at the cost of S$435 which will include accommodation, meals and ferries.



Registration Fees
Registration fees for individuals are as follows:
MetaMan Blitz – US$175
MetaMan Half – US$295
MetaMan Full – US$585

Participants can also sign up for a relay with a group of three at:
MetaMan Blitz – US$320
MetaMan Half – US$460
MetaMan Full – US$730

The fee will include on top of participation, the goodie bag, medal, race certificate, polo shirt, beach towel, carbohydrate loading dinner, post-race massage and post-race buffet. There will be a 25% discount for participants with disabilities.

For more info, please visit http://www.metamanbintan.com/

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