UAE Flag Flies High as Team Abu Dhabi performs well at Washington DC's Nations TRI

Five competitors from the capital took Washington’s Nations Tri race by storm, recording excellent timings across multiple categories

Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Sept 8, 2014: Five athletes from Abu Dhabi competed in yesterday’s gruelling Nations Triathlon in Washington D.C. as part of their training for next year’s TriYAS event, completing the course in outstanding times across the board.

The Washington event, known as Nations Tri, is twinned with Yas Marina Circuit’s own triathlon, and saw the five Abu Dhabi athletes take on a 1,500-metre swim in the Potomac River, a 40-kilometre cycle and a 10-kilometre run through the city.

The competition in the American capital was great preparation for the team from Abu Dhabi, as they look ahead to February’s TriYAS event.

Dr. Marc Harrison, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, who completed the race in 1 hour, 57 minutes and 11 seconds, said: “Participation in events such as the Nation’s Triathlon or the upcoming TriYAS is just one way to engage in healthy living.” Harrison frequently trains at the Yas Marina Circuit during TrainYAS. He added: “Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is committed to promoting healthy living amongst its caregivers and within the Abu Dhabi community, through initiatives such as the TrainYas and GoYAS bike sponsorship programme. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi encourages all members of the Abu Dhabi community to take advantage of these types of opportunities to lead a healthy lifestyle.”

Joining Marc Harrison on the trip were father and son team Peter and Paul Muller, as well as Danny Hughes, the president of Abu Dhabi Tri Club and Henk de Jager. All are seasoned competitors and placed strongly. Paul Mueller, finished in 1 hour, 44 mins and 48 secs, crossing the line first in his age group (18-24) and 25th place overall. His father, Peter Mueller, took 2 hours, 21 minutes and 28 seconds, coming 94th in his age group (50-54) and 1,167th overall. Hughes completed in 1 hr, 56 mins and 58 secs, finishing 38th in his age group (35-39) and 1,316th overall. Henk De Jager took 1 hr, 52 mins and 42 secs, finishing 5th in his age group (45-49) and 106th overall.

The group flew with Etihad Airways, which now offers regular return flights between the US and UAE capitals.

Etihad Airways is hosting the Etihad Airways Tri Club Challenge, in which triathlon clubs from around the world compete for the chance to win an exclusive trip package including two round-trip flight tickets, a three-night stay in Abu Dhabi and entry into the TriYAS triathlon on February 20, 2015.

The Nations Tri race was a perfect opportunity for participants to prepare for the fifth edition of TriYAS, taking place at the FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX circuit on 20thFebruary. Open to all fitness levels, registrations for this world-class competition at the circuit are now open. To assist in preparation, the circuit is running its TriYAS by Activelife training programme, which helps first-timers prepare for the event with an eight-week programme involving swimming, cycling, running and core exercises with tips from triathlon experts.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with Nations Tri” said Al Tareq Al Ameri, CEO of Yas Marina Circuit, the home venue of TriYAS. “It’s a great way to bridge our two capital cities and just as our own competitors have travelled to DC, we look forward to welcoming Nations Tri competitors to our TriYAS event in February 2015." 

In addition to TriYAS, Yas Marina Circuit is also offering a wide range of public health and fitness initiatives. On November 7th, 20,000 people will take part in WALK 2014 at the track, in association with Imperial College London Diabetes Centre. Each Wednesday, GoYAS provides a chance for women only to run and cycle around the circuit, or join in group fitness activities such as pilates, zumba and yoga.

TrainYAS is held every Tuesday and offers cyclists and runners of all ages and fitness levels the opportunity to use the circuit. New additions to TrainYAS include a professional timing system and a bootcamp run by Haddins Fitness.

For those looking for high-octane thrills on the track, Yas Marina Circuit offers a wide range of motorsports experience and these include: Karting, Drift School, Drag Night and many more.