Nevis Triathlon a March Tradition in Caribbean
Athletes Can Join International Triathlon Until 2 Days Before Event
Feb 21, 2009
Triathlon athletes and sports fans looking for a way to combine their passion for endurance events with a Caribbean vacation need look no farther than the Nevis Triathlon. The event is hosted each March by the St. Kitts & Nevis Triathlon Federation and the island of Nevis, and is set for March 15 this year.
Nevis and its sister island, St. Kitts, are two of the Caribbean's most welcoming and safest islands, and making athletes feel right at home. The only proviso is to take care not to drink too much rum, and to avoid the local moonshine, before the swimming, biking and running events.
Nevis Triathlon Swimming, Biking and Running Course
The triathlon starts with athletes gathering along the beach at Gallows Bay, adjacent to downtown Charlestown, Nevis. The event always draws a large crowds of locals and visiting fans to cheer on the competitors.
After a beach start Olympic distance swimmers begin two long laps around a large triangle marked by buoys in the bay. Sprint athletes make one lap. Competitors then exit the water to run along the bay front to the transition area to mount their bikes.
Bikers then ride north along the island's main drag, a relatively flat course, towards the airport and then back again. The maximum elevation is 150 feet just past the Four Seasons Resort. There's a short steep climb just as bikers pass the Oualie Beach Hotel. Olympic competitors ride the route twice and sprint competitors once.
Then athletes dismount and run back down the road to the entrance of the Four Seasons and then back to the finish line. Again it's two laps for Olympic competitors and one for sprint competitors.
The Volcanic Mountains of Nevis and St. Kitts Make for a Dramatic Triathlon Setting
Competitors are surrounded by the lush green volcanic mountain vistas of Nevis and nearby St. Kitts during their events. Nevis Peak is one of the island's most beautiful sites, and athletes may want to climb its trails if they have the energy after their events.
HIstoric Charlestown is the center for shopping and entertainment on Nevis. It's host to the Museum of Nevis History, which tells of the area's storied past and is the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton. Hamiliton spent his formative years on Nevis before moving to St. Croix and then eventually the United States, where he helped draft the U.S. Constitution.
Parties, Accomodations and Other Helpful Information
The night before the triathlon competitors bond at a pasta dinner held at the oceanside Oualie Beach Hotel. The hotel offers special rates to competitors as do the Carinio Hamilton Estate, Nibet Plantation Beach Club and Sea Spawn. Competitors are fed after the race and there's also a celebration party that night.
Competitors receive a free T-shirt and those who finish, a finisher's medal. Newbie triathlon athletes can opt to "try a tri" on a shorter course and pay a reduced entry fee.
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