The Waterways Ireland Lough Key Sprint Triathlon
2014, one of the biggest sports events locally as regards numbers competing,
was launched last week and has already attracted approximately 200 entries from
all over Ireland and abroad with entries still continuing to flood in.
The event, organised by the local Lough Key
Triathlon Club, will take place on Sunday 7th September and is a three leg
triathlon taking in a 750m swim out to Castle Island and back, a 23km cycle
around the lake followed by a scenic 5km run within the confines of the park
itself.
Last years event sold out in record time with
over 500 competitors taking to the water. The race itself attracted a number of
top International competitors and was won by Kevin Thornton, a pro-level
triathlete from Galway who went on the place 6th at the ITU World Triathlon
Grand Final in London 6 days later.
Carrick man Kenny Murtagh takes over as Race
Director from Boyle's Finbarr Feely and he was quick to compliment Finbarr on
the work he has done in establishing the event on the national stage since it
was first run in 2008.
'Finbarr, with the aid of his hard working
committee, has Lough Key Triathlon now firmly established as one of the 'go to'
events on the Irish race calendar for most Irish triathletes. He has achieved
this by creating an atmosphere where the ordinary beginner triathlete can race
alongside top level internationals in a safe and beautifully scenic location.
This is what makes Lough Key special and why so many people return year after
year.'
'This year, we have formed another very hard
working committee who have been busy behind the scenes putting together, what
we hope will be, another top class event for the area.'
Lough Key Triathlon club is one of the fastest
growing local sports clubs in the Boyle / Carrick-on-Shannon area and now
boasts a membership of over 100. Set up in 2004 with a view to promoting the
sport of triathlon, the club has earned a reputation of hosting one of the
highlights of the triathlon calendar.
The triathlon will start at 10.30am at the shore
of Lough Key and local support will be much appreciated by the participants.
The front runners would be expected to complete the course in just over an hour
and a large turnout of spectators is expected on the day itself also.
Full information including how to enter is
available from the club website www.loughkeytri.com
Photos Courtesy of Mark O'Kelly
