‘This is a unique opportunity to showcase the Qatari culture of sport to
participants from all over the world and encourage local communities’
The organisers of Doha Triathlon yesterday announced Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) as the main sponsor for its inaugural race. Due to take place on Friday at the iconic Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park, the event is set to be the first of its kind to be held in Qatar and is organised by Doha TriClub, Qatar Cycling Federation (QCF) and Tasama Sports Development.
The Doha Triathlon, will be run over two distances – a full Olympic and a Sprint distance. The full distance Olympic triathlon includes a 1.5km swim followed by a 40km bike race, finishing with a 10km run.
The Sprint distances are half that of the Olympic, and both are open to individuals and teams. Athletes interested in participating can find out more information and register on the Doha Triathlon website. Registration closes today.
Commenting on QTA’s support for Doha Triathlon, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer Rashed al-Qurese said, “Qatar Tourism Authority is pleased to support the inaugural Doha Triathlon, which is set to showcase some of Doha’s iconic cultural and tourism landmarks in the context of this multi-discipline sport. As a joint initiative of public and private sector partners, this new addition to Qatar’s already rich calendar of sporting events is set to further develop mass participation events.”
The event is open to all participants above 15 years of age, and the course offers a unique experience to swim the MIA’s bay, cycle along a closed Corniche circuit and run inside the verdant MIA Park.
Daniel Brown, acting director at the Museum of Islamic Art, is looking forward to extending a warm welcome to all triathletes in January. “Doha Triathlon is a very exciting addition to the growing programme of events and activities we host in MIA Park to promote a healthy lifestyle. This is a unique opportunity to showcase the Qatari culture of sport to participants from all over the world and encourage local communities to take part in physical activities. We’re looking forward to a great race this January and we hope the event will grow in the years ahead and continue to welcome international visitors to Doha and MIA.”
Marouf Mahmoud, founder of the local sports marketing and management agency Tasama Sports Development, has taken on the Doha Triathlon project as a key priority for the start-up of his agency.
He believes that the Doha Triathlon has the potential to grow into a global event and compete head-to-head with other triathlon events in the region that attract upwards of 2,000 participants.
“The value proposition to Qatar is very strong which is why we’ve been able to gain the support of the Qatar Tourism Authority. Triathlon is a sport that is open to a very broad demographic, including white-collar professionals of all ages that compete as a hobby. This puts the sport in a unique category where you have both professional athletes competing alongside hobbyists of all ages and backgrounds in the same event. For host cities, this translates to a healthy form of tourism as these participants pay for their own hotels, food and transport. The QTA has been very wise to support this event and invest in a sports tourism strategy which will benefit Qatar economically and strategically as a global sports and tourism hub.”
The course involves a swim around MIA’s bay, cycle along a closed Corniche circuit and run inside the verdant MIA Park.