Athletes from over 30 countries arrived in Kazan to European Triathlon Championship

Tournament on the territory of Russia will be held for the first time.

(KZN.RU, July 26, Ksenia Shvetsova). On July 27-28, the European Triathlon Championship on sprint distance will be held in Kazan. The tournament on the territory of Russia will take place for the first time. The professional athletes and the amateurs from over 30 countries will take part in the competition. Everyone has a great chance to watch how the best athletes will be fighting for victory.

Kazan won the right to hold the European Triathlon Championship two years ago, Vladimir Leonov, the Minister of Sport of Tatarstan, reminded it today at the press-conference in the IA “Tatar-inform”. “There was a serious competition among a few cities-candidates for the right to hold the championship. We were in luck thanks to holding the large sports events in Kazan and the RT, - V.Leonov told. - The track had been tested many times. We hope that we will manage to worthily carry out the international event“.

A few starting points are scheduled in the championship. On Saturday, July 27, the main phase of the European championship will take place in Kazan where 200 professional athletes from over 30 world countries will compete. They will have to swim 750 m on the open water, cover 20 km on a bike and run 5 km.

On July 28, the amateurs will have to reach a certain distance. More than a thousand people from 20 world countries is expected to participate in the competition including 300 Russian thiathlon amateurs.

This weekend the amateur competitions Ironstar 113 Kazan 2019 will be held as well: swimming - 1,93 km, cycling race - 90 km, and running - 21,1 km. There are women's and children's charity races in the program.

“The young athletes up to the age of 12 will be able to take part in the children's race - they can choose the 500 m or 1 km distances, - the Minister of Sport of Tatarstan said. - The smallest participants will be able to go long the distance on the parents' hands or in the carriage. The young athletes are going to warm-up with animators“.

Everyone will have a chance to watch the competitions - the entrance for spectators will be free. Besides, the championship will be broadcasted on one of the sports channels of the country.

Today, at 17.30 the team parade will be held on the Kremlin embankment - all athletes arrived in Tatarstan capital city will carry the flags of their countries.

“The European Triathlon Championship is included in the calendar of the largest title events of the country this year. It is not only very important debut to us, but also a big event of sports, and though a very complicated one which is dynamically developing in our country nowadays“, - V.Leonov added.

The athletes have been preparing for the competitions for a long time and training a lot during this year. The most difficult phase of the thriathlon for them is running. “Firstly, it is the last phase of the competitions. Secondly, unlike the swimming and cycling race, while running the person's heart works in a vertical position, it is the hardest thing functionally“, - Igor Sysoev, the Russian National Team Head coach, explained.

In preparation for the tournament, the water quality is paid a specific attention. So, the water abstraction was repeatedly collecting from Kazanka river indicating compliance with norms and standards appropriated to the competitions on the open water. “The technical triathlon delegates overlooked at all tests, so they are fully consistent with all norms. The Rospotrebnadzor specialists had conducted a analysis of water as well“, - Galina Shapovalova, the head of the Russian Triathlon Federation, noted.

In bad weather, for example, thunderstorm or storm, the swimming will be cancelled, and the competitions will be held in two phases, as Andrey Kavun, the general director and the partner of Ironstar company, noted.

We will remind that during the European Triathlon Championship the traffic of a few streets, the movement of small crafts in Kazanka river will be limited, as well as will the bus traffic will be changed in Kazan.