Defending champion Mitch Robins of Australia won the 2nd Pattaya Triathalon Super Series 2016 held May 21, while a Bangkok university student prevailed in the half-triathalon.
More than 1,700 Thai and foreign athletes – including HRH Princess Bajarakitiyabha – took part in the competition, which saw parts of Beach Road and Pratamnak Road closed for 12 hours beginning at 6 a.m. A total of 900,000 baht in prize money was up for grabs in the event sponsored by Tri-League Co., the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Pattaya office and city hall.
Robins was the first out of the water during the opening discipline but was pegged back on the bike ride by Sweden’s Fredrik Croneborg as the two entered the transition zone together for the final 13 km run. Once out on the run Robbins opened up a gap on his rival and crossed the finish line at the Dusit Thani resort after swimming 1.5 kilometers, cycling 54 km. and running 13 km in a time of 02:24:39 to take home the 50,000 baht first prize cash and a trophy.
Croneborg came in second 33 seconds behind Robins and Britain’s Paul Amey rounded out the podium in 02:34:45. One of the pre-race favourites, four-time Australian champ Chris McCormack crashed into a pot-hole during the bike ride and was unable to finish the race.
New Zealander Amelia Watkinson pulled out a big lead early in the women’s triathlon race and was a comfortable winner in an outstanding time of 02:33:51, the third fastest among the men and women combined. Defending Pattaya champion Dimity-Lee Duke of Australia was second in 02:43:05 while her compatriot Michelle Duffield took third in 02:43:44.
Prasobchai Kaewrungrueng of Thailand, a fourth-year teaching student at Chulalongkorn University also won 50,000 baht after placing first in the “super sprint” series event covering 750 meters of swimming, 25 kilometers cycling and an 8 kilometer run.
Non-swimmers were also able to participate in the Triathalon Super Series event, doing a “duo sports” category of 5 kilometers running followed by a 54 km bike ride and a further 13 km of running.
Races spanned the city, starting out on Beach Road in North Pattaya, traveling to Jomtien Beach Road, Sukhumvit and Pratamnak Hill.
The next major sporting event in Pattaya will be the King’s Cup Marathon on July 17.
