The first IRONMAN in Baku - VIDEO
The first international triathlon in Azerbaijan, "ALUFAR IRONMAN 70.3 Baku," has started in Baku.
As 1news.az reports, more than 1,500 athletes from 62 countries are taking part in the competition. Azerbaijan is represented by 123 athletes.
The opening ceremony was attended by Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Alakbarov, Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan Farid Gayibov, President of the Azerbaijan Triathlon Federation Farid Farhadzade and other officials.
The ceremony began with the performance of the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Participants will have to cover the classic IRONMAN 70.3 distance: 1.9 km of swimming, 90.1 km of cycling and 21.1 km of running.
The race is held among men and women in 13 age categories.
The competition began with the swimming stage. After its completion, the participants proceeded to the cycling part of the distance, and then they will have to complete the final stage - the run.
At the same time, it is impossible in this case to determine the winner by who crosses the finish line first. This is due to the specifics of the start: the athletes begin the swimming stage in groups of five people with short intervals. As a result, the difference between the start times of the first and the last participant can be about 30 minutes.
The individual time of each athlete is recorded by a special chip. Therefore, the actual order of crossing the finish line will not necessarily coincide with the final protocol. For example, a participant who finished sixth may, after taking the start time into account, take first place in his age category.
The final results will be calculated after the competition ends. The winners and prize-winners will be determined separately among men and women in 13 age categories.
The organizers of Azerbaijan's first "ALUFAR IRONMAN 70.3 Baku" are the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan Triathlon Federation and the operating company "Baku City Circuit."
