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Emirates Palace’s lagoon offers starting line for Abu Dhabi International Triathlon

The Emirates Palace's magnificent beach acted as the exciting starting point for the inaugural US$250,000 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon (ADIT) held on Saturday 13 March 2010.

The ADIT route has been designed to be as spectator-friendly. The Emirates Palace Hotel lagoon provided the opening swim leg.

ADTA has introduced a relay element for the 111.5km route, where a team of three could each take on a single discipline choosing the 1.5km swim, a 100km cycle or a 10km run. Both ADIT routes took in a host of Abu Dhabi city landmarks with the event’s opening swim leg taking place in the lagoon of the hallmark Emirates Palace and the cycling section passing some of the destination’s most iconic sights including the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and along Abu Dhabi’s signature Corniche.

More than 800 professional and amateur triathletes from five continents contested in the first Abu Dhabi International Triathlon (ADIT), making it the strongest line-ups of major triathlon in 2010.

Mr. Hans Olbertz, Emirates Palace General Manager said it was a great honour for it that the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) - organisers of the debut ADIT, had chosen the Emirates Palace's beach to flag off the one-day world competition.

''This is a vote of confidence in our world class sporting facilities," Mr. Hans Olbertz said.

''Based on our Corporate Social Responsibility, we will remain committed to sponsoring, fostering and supporting cultural, artistic and sports events that contribute to promote Abu Dhabi as a world class host of such international events,'' he added.

''We will do our best to support such landmark events of international appeal which attracted competitors from Australasia, Europe, the Middle East, Americas, North Africa, the Far East, Russia and Africa, thus stimulating the local tourism sector,'' he added.

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