Posted: June 25, 2004

Triathlon: 1800 Athletes To Participate In The 4Th Annual Ford NYC Triathlon

Hudson River, Henry Hudson Parkway and Central Park to Host Three-Leg Test of Endurance in Olympic-Format Triathlon

Over 1,800 athletes will take the plunge into the Hudson River along Manhattan's West Side for the 4th Annual Ford New York City Triathlon on Sunday, June 27, 2004, beginning at 5:30 a.m.

The Ford New York City Triathlon will commence with staggered start times on Sunday for age groupers, elite men and elite women. The event is comprised of three legs - swimming, cycling and running. The Ford NYC Triathlon, with age group athletes ranging from 18 - 74 years of age, begins with the swim leg at approximately 6:00 a.m. Elite women will begin at 8:00 a.m. and elite men will begin at 9:20 a.m. The triathlon will feature top competitors such as Sheila Taormina, who will take part in the age group swim, and the USA Triathlon Paralympic Development Team.

All race participants will:

· Swim 1.5-kilometers (.9321 miles): Elite and age group racers will start at West 100th Street in the Hudson River and swim down to West 81st St. There, they will transition to the bicycle leg.

· Bike 40-kilometers (24.85 miles): Elite racers will head out of transition at West 81st Street and head North up the Henry Hudson Parkway. They will cycle to West Gun Hill Road where they will U-turn and ride south to the U-turn at West 57th Street, then exit at 72nd Street and ride into Central Park for the second transition point at Cherry Hill (located on the northside of the 72nd Street transverse near West Park Drive). Age group racers will head North on the Henry Hudson Parkway to West Gun Hill Road where they will U-turn to 57th street, then head back up to transition at the 79th Street Boat Basin.

· Run 10-kilometer (6.2 miles): Elite racers will ride their bikes West on72nd Street into Central Park and transition from their bikes to run at Cherry Hill. The elite athletes will run north on West Park Drive to 90th street where they will make a U turn run back to 72nd Street Transverse then head East to Cherry Hill completing the first of three laps. After 3 laps, the racers will then turn South to enter the finish line at Dead Road (just East of the Band Shell). Age group competitors will run east on 72nd to Central Park West, head north to complete 1 lap of Central Park, making the turn at 110th street before heading south to 72nd street. They will then head south to the finish line at Dead Road.

The race website is at: www.nyctri.com.