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A16
LOCALTuesday 12 April 2016
Caribbean Calling Aruba for Challenge Family Event!
ORANJESTAD - Challenge
Family announced re-
cently its newest addition
to the global series of long
distance triathlons on the
spectacular Caribbean is-
land of Aruba.
Set over the half distance,
CHALLENGEARUBA will
take place on 23 October
on the ‘Happy Island’ of
Aruba with its crystal clear
blue waters, pearly white
beaches and balmy Carib-
bean climate – the perfect
combination for a race in
paradise!
The CHALLENGEARUBA
course stands out not just
for its beauty but for its
speed, variety and quality.
The 1.9km swim is a single
lap course in the clear
warm Caribbean sea in
front of the famous Palm
Beach. The undulating
90km bike course is over
four laps along the coast-
line, passing through some
of the island’s most popular
beaches before heading
to the famous lighthouse of
Aruba.
The run-course is entirely
along the white beaches
of Aruba. Three laps which
alternate between the
boulevard (The Strip) and
the path on the beach in
front of the exclusive hotels
of Aruba that join the Palm
Beach Area. The finish line
will be situated on the bou-
levard at The Hyatt Regen-
cy Resort.
A sprint distance race will
also be available for ath-
letes who would rather
keep it short and sweet.
The sprint consists of a 750m
swim, followed by a 22,5km
cycle and finally a 7km run.
Otmar E Oduber, Minister
of Tourism said he was look-
ing forward to welcom-
ing athletes to the island.
“As the Minister of Tourism,
and on behalf of our One
Happy Island, I would like
to welcome you to Aru-
ba for the inaugural race
of Challenge Aruba. Our
commitment is to provide
you with safety, beautiful
scenery, and warm support
in a unique and breathtak-
ing atmosphere. I look for-
ward to cheer you on as
you make your way to be-
coming one of the first ever
finishers of what promises to Operating under the mot-
be a beautiful race!”
Marcus Altmann, global
operations for CHALLENGE-
FAMILY, said CHALLENGEA-
RUBA was a great addition
to the series, especially for mans and Tim DeBoom as
North American athletes.
“Racing in paradise is al-
ways a hard opportunity to
turn down,” he said.
“The convenience of get-
ting to Aruba from the North
American mainland makes
this a perfect race to es-
cape the autumn weather
and get some sun before
winter hits. A great way to
close out the season.”
to “Your Challenge is Our
Challenge” the CHAL-
LENGEARUBA team aims
to provide participants and
their families with a com-
plete holiday that goes
beyond hosting the best
triathlon event. As well as
the half and sprint distance
races, there is an extensive
and varied program of ad-
ditional activities to ensure
that triathletes and their
companions get the most
out of their stay.
Festivities will kick-off in the saddle up on horseback,
best way Aruba knows, an
exotic beach party! Enjoy
an extensive buffet with
a variety of dishes while
listening to a local-band
adding a Caribbean flair
on the moonlit beach.
Sticking with the beach-
theme, post-race will be
a lavish beach and pool
award party at the presti-
gious Hyatt Resort.
And in the build-up to
CHALLENGEARUBA athletes
can benefit from a number
of clinics and seminars from
triathlon icons Marc Herre-
ambassadors of the race.
There’s plenty to do pre
and post-race as well,
making CHALLENGEARUBA
the perfect ‘race-cation’
destination. For total relax-
ation, alabaster beaches
and gentle seas are good
for the soul.
Or rock your world with wet
‘n wild adventures, deep
sea diving, windsurfing,
kitesurfing, even parasailing
and sky diving! Tee off on a
championship golf course,
take a tour, or hike through
Arikok National Park and
discover the island’s fas-
cinating natural wonders,
from rock formations to
natural bridges. Shop ‘til
you drop, enjoy glittering
nightlife and fabulous res-
taurants. Broaden your cul-
tural horizons with visits to
museums and art galleries,
and don’t miss the weekly
Bon Bini and Caribbean
festivals.
The inaugural CHAL-
LENGEARUBA will take
place on 23 October 2016.
For entries and further in-
formation, visit www.chal-
lenge-aruba.com.q