Abu Dhabi’s Al Sultan To Make Historic Austrian Triathlon Return

Team Abu Dhabi Captain Special Guest At Historic Alps-Based Event

Team Abu Dhabi Triathlon captain, Faris Al Sultan, will fly the UAE flag at the Kirchbichl Triathlon in Austria this week, as he returns to the scene of his first competitive event and two championship wins as a special guest to mark its 25th anniversary.

Set against a stunning Alpine backdrop, Kirchbichl is one of the world’s longest running triathlons and will mark the return of Al Sultan – the 2005 Ironman World Champion – to international competition since picking up a leg injury in April.

The Abu Dhabi resident, widely regarded as one of the sport’s top athletes, is relishing the opportunity to get back to winning ways at the historic showpiece.

“To be honest, I have not been able to train fully for the last seven weeks so I’ve been working harder on the swimming and cycling disciplines at the expense of my running preparation. I hope to rectify this in Austria,” said Al Sultan, who leads the seven-strong Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)-backed crack endurance squad, Team Abu Dhabi.

“The event is also important as it will serve as a warm up to me competing in Ironman Regensburg, in Germany this August which is a key race for me this season.”

Al Sultan knows the uphill battle he faces to be ready to contest the 1.5kms swimming, 38kms swimming and 10kms running course set across the Austrian border’s rolling mountainous terrain.

“The course is very challenging and that’s the way I like it. I’ve swapped our winter training base, in Abu Dhabi’s second city of Al Ain for one in Italy as I prepare for the next set of events. As there is only a 250-strong field competing, the race is less about tactics and more about going all out,” added Al Sultan, who made his Kirchbichl debut in 1997.

“I know I am going to find it difficult in the running, so I want to push hard in the swimming and cycling to build up a lead that will see me through to the end.”

Team Abu Dhabi Triathlon, created by the ADTA to further the emirate’s performance athletics’ credentials globally, will compete in more than 40 top international events this season, including Ironman, 70.3 and the French Championships.

The outfit got off to a winning start in 2010 after team members, Ina Reinders and Jan van Berkel, made a clean sweep at the debut US$250,000 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon in March. Since then, the team has taken part in a number of events in Australia, Europe and the US.
 

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