The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Athletes are urged to try triathlon
ONE OF the region’s most testing outdoor adventure challenges will bring more than 400 top athletes to Highland Perthshire next week.
The Aberfeldy Middle Distance Triathlon has a growing reputation and an increasingly important place on the triathlonscotland race calendar. It will attract competitors from around the UK to the small town of Aberfeldy, swelling its population for a short time as they take on a 1900m open water swim, 90km cycle and a 2km run.
Event organisers LiveActive Leisure has been stunned by its development over the years and its staff are hoping 2012 could be the biggest yet – believing that Olympic fever will instill a sporting drive in many fit men and women who have never before tested their abilities in a competitive setting. And that could bring both a greater number of entrants than ever before to Highland Perthshire on August 18.
First-time participants will be faced with a testing challenge and will line-up beside some of the very biggest names in the discipline. The triathlon’s past competitors have included 2010 Ironman 70.3 UK Champion Fraser Cartmell, the Scottish Ironman Record holder Scott Neyedli, World Long Distance Duathlon Champion 2008 and 2010 Catriona Morrison and Karen Darke, who was the first Paratriathlete to complete the gruelling Aberfeldy course.
The event – which incorporates the Club Relay Championships – also attracts a number of Scottish Triathlon Clubs including the Stirling Tri Club, Edinburgh Triathletes, Edinburgh Road Club, Glasgow Tri Club and the Ayrodynamics Tri Club. Scott Neyedli returns this year and those in the know consider him the race favourite, but strong competition is expected from Dundee’s Graeme Stewart.
Race organisers are encouraging people to finalise their training and get signed up. Operations manager and race director Richard Pearson said: “This event truly stands out on the race calendar and it has grown impressively over the last few years.
“It is an impressive feat for a small town in Perthshire and one of the key attractions of this race has to be the stunning environment in which competitors are able to race.
“At Live Active Leisure we are proud to be running such a popular event that encourages athletes from around the country to set themselves new challenges and aims with their fitness.
“We think it looks set to be a winner and would encourage people to pluck up the courage and take part.”
The race takes place next Saturday and starts at 8.30am, with competitors setting out from the Taymouth Marina. From there they will plunge into the freezing waters of Loch Tay for an endurance-sapping swim past landmarks including the Scottish Crannog Centre. The first competitor is expected to cross the finishing line in a little over four hours, with past experience leading organisers to believe that a winner will be crowned by around 12.50pm.
For more information on the event or details of how to enter visit livactive.co.uk or entrycentral.com.
Perthshire has developed an increasingly deserved reputation as Scotland’s outdoor adventure capital and is working hard to lay claim to that same title at UK level. Amid stunning and rugged scenery, visitors can enjoy canoeing, climbing, gorge walking, kayaking, mountain biking and open water river swimming, plus bungee jumping.
In recent years, it has also played host to a significant number of high-level triathlon and orienteering events and is attracting yet more.
Meanwhile, a pioneering Perthshire adventure sport company has been chosen by Disney/Pixar to offer film buffs the chance to sample a taste of the Scotland depicted in Brave.
The animated film – which is to be released on Monday – is set in 10th century Scotland and shows the nation as rugged and filled with adventure. The Disney/Pixar team contacted Perthshire firm Nae Limits to put together a competition that could include canyoning at the picturesque Falls of Bruar, whitewater rafting on the river Tay or bungee jumping.