Race series starts

The Triathlon Association’s annual cycle race series will start this Wednesday at 5pm and will continue over five of the next six weeks.

The events will be handicapped with the quickest cyclists starting several minutes after the average riders.

The events are open to all eligible triathlon fraternity members and any new persons who haven’t competed before and who would like to give it a go.

The association is grateful to Westpac for sponsoring these events and cycling gear prizes such as Giro helmets, quality metal foot pumps, cycle tops, tyres, gels and cycle computers will be on offer.

The first event will be a 16km race from Avarua out to Aroa Nui Hall at Arorangi and back which means cyclists will get to ride over the new seal outside the airport twice (about 5km worth).

An 8km mark with arrows marking the turn will be placed on the road.

Subsequent weeks will have distances of 16km and 20km as well as a full circuit of the island.

These races are a blast for people of any ability and many different people have won these events under the handicap system.

Prizes are not necessarily for the fastest time with first across the line and fastest improver usually rewarded.

The starts will be outside the Goldmine on the inland side of the road and will finish at the same spot on the seaward side of the road.