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CANADA, Vancouver - The International Triathlon Union
(ITU) has just announced the addition of the Eilat BG
Triathlon World Cup in the country of Israel to the 2007
calendar. The event will be held on December 1st, one
week before the season finale in Doha, Qatar.
“The ITU family is very much looking forward to visiting
Eilat on the 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup tour,” said ITU
Executive Director Loreen Barnett. “Our friends in the
Israeli Triathlon Association have done an exceptional job
developing the sport of triathlon in their country. They
have been with us since the beginning and we are extremely
excited to accept their renowned hospitality in 2007.”
The resort-city of Eilat is situated in the south of
Israel on the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. The Israeli
Triathlon Association has been hosting triathlon events in
Eilat for almost 20 years which frequently attract more
then 1,000 participants. Since 2005 Eilat has also been
home to a top European Cup event.
“With the unfortunate loss of the Aqaba world cup in
Jordan only a month ago,” commented Barnett. “We were
keen to find another event in the Middle East. We were
fortunate enough to have our Israeli friends come forward
and propose this beautiful venue.”
The Eilat venue, which is less then 5km from Aqaba, has
seen many past winners in its 20 year lifespan, including
former world champion Leanda Cave of Great Britain and
world cup winner Rasmus Henning of Denmark. The Israeli
team of twin brothers Ran and Dan Alterman are also
frequently seen atop the men’s podium.
The race venue will be in front of the Isrotel Hotel, the
major sponsor of the event, and will feature a multi-lap
race course ideal for the thousands of vacationers, soon
to be spectators, who inhabit the city year round.
Triathlon in Israel started 21 years ago and the Eilat
race has always been a staple event for the Israeli
Triathlon Association. The sport itself has demonstrated
enormous growth in Israel from 500 members ten years ago
to 2000 members in 2006 and 15 annual events.
The organizing committee will be headed by the Chairman of
the Israeli Triathlon Association Chagi Pagirsky Adv. and
members of the executive board will take part as
event directors. The race director will be Michael Katz,
Secretary General of the Israeli Triathlon Association,
and race director for all major triathlon events in Israel
for the past seven years.
The addition of Eilat brings the 2007 BG Triathlon World
Cup calendar to 16 events spanning from March 25th to
December 7th.
For more information about this and other ITU events
please visit www.triathlon.org or www.triathlon.org.il.
Race Director Michael Katz can be reached at ffice@triathlon.org.il or at +972.523.898019
Main Sponsors for the event are:
Isrotel Hotel Chain
Nike Israel
Excellence investing house
Offer Brothers Shipping Company
The city of Eilat
Eilat Hotel Association
The Israeli office of tourism
Big Box
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