Challenge Family Triathlon is heading to North Brazil for the first time with this weekend's inaugural Challenge Maceio on Sunday 23 August.
With its flat, fast course, Challenge Maceio is considered another record breaker race of the world. At the end of the Brazilian winter season, calm and clear water is expected, the flat fast lane of the highway for a fast bike course and a half marathon by the beach.
With great options for the entire family, nature has been generous with this piece of land in Brazil: with stunning paradise beaches, considered by Travel & Leisure Magazine as one the most beautiful secret beaches in the world.
 Maceio(Photo: Challenge Family; click to enlarge) |
Challenge Maceio offers everything anyone would expect: swimming in a sheltered bay by reefs, with warm, clear water. Coming out of water, a highway running along the beach, crossing farms of coconut trees and beautiful rivers on the cycling course. On the run course, the athlete will enjoy the welcoming atmosphere of the city, crossing the beaches Pajuçara, Ponta Verde and Jatiúca , partly under the shade of a coconut grove and will get support from the crowd in front of main hotels of the city.
Besides the main half distance race (which consists of 1.9km of swimming, 90km cycling and more 21,1km run), there will be a sprint distance race with 750 m of swimming, 20 km of cycling and 5 km running, and the 5km Challenge Women run/walk as well as Junior Challenge for children from ages of 7 to 15 years.
The spectators are promised an exciting race to watch. This year first event is honored with the presence of the Florianopolis event champion Edmilson Pereira, who will have to race fast to run away from Igor Amorelli and other great athletes such as Santiago Ascenço. The female field is has some new surprises from outside Brazil represented by April Gellatly and Emma Pallant from USA and UK respectively. As the national professional female athlete Challenge Maceio is represented by the former champion Carolina Furriela and considered Brazil's greatest long distance course athlete Ariane Monticelli.
On 29 November Challenge Florianopolis returns. Responsible for organizing both events, Carlos Fernando Menezes, director of Dash Sports says that this is a milestone for the sport in Brazil, with the completion of two events this size for the country. "Maceio, next to Florianopolis, are two cities with unique structures for sport. Challenge Family already has more than 40 events around the world and settling in Brazil supports the country's potential to continue encouraging the industry, "he says.
The triathlete Fernanda Keller was ambassador of the event in 2014 and knows Challenge Family for many years. She praises the style of the race: "The athletes are happy to participate in Challenge Family events because it is an event that has activities for the entire family." Fernanda says it is important to understand that it is an event for the city, as in Roth, Germany where Challenge Family was born. "I have triathlon running in my veins and I am very happy to see the Challenge Family global series growing in Brazil," said the triathlete.
Each year Brazil's participation in the world's leading Challenge Family series increases. This year the Challenge Roth had 22 representatives from the country. Rodrigo Frazão was one of those Brazilians. He practices triathlon for over ten years and says that "Challenge Family is not only a race, is a festival for the whole family." Another competitor in Roth was the triathlete Valeria Rosati. First place in her age group category in the Brazilian Triathlon Long Distance Championship in 2015, Valeria describes the Challenge Family as "a huge event that is at the same time close to the athletes, where you can feel the pure essence and the love of triathlon sport."
For more information on the events and live coverage visit the websites: http://challenge-maceio.com.br and www.challenge-florianopolis.com and the event's Facebook page.
