One of Chattanooga’s longest-running events, the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon, which began back in 1983 as the Riverbend Triathlon, has added a new swim start for 2019, and features a downriver swim, mostly flat bike course and scenic run along the Tennessee River. It will be held Sunday.
“This event is so special because the venue is so unique,” said Team Magic Co-Director Faye Yates. “To be able to swim in the Tennessee River, have the transition area staged just outside the Chattanooga Aquarium and run along the banks of the river just makes this the coolest and one of the most unique triathlons we put on each year.”
The Chattanooga Track Club and Team Magic joined forces on this event in 2005 and have partnered for the last 14 years to make this triathlon one of the South’s favorite races said officials.
“The Chattanooga Track Club and Team Magic have a unique partnership,” said Jenni Berz, who is the immediate past-president of the Chattanooga Track Club and co-directs the race with Ms. Yates. "I am proud of the great working relationship we have with Team Magic. Even more important is the passion the Chattanooga Track Club and Team Magic equally share for producing quality events and our spirit for promoting healthy lifestyles through multi-sport racing.”
The race consists of a Sprint distance, which is a 400-meter swim, 20k bike and a 5k run as well as an Olympic distance, which is a 1.5k swim, 40k bike and a 10k run. Both the Olympic and Sprint distance races are the 2019 USA Triathlon Athena and Clydesdale National Championships. Click here for more details on the national championships.
New for 2019 is the Olympic-distance swim start, which will happen at the Manker Patten Tennis Club, an award-winning tennis complex with state-of-the-art facilities that include indoor, outdoor and clay courts on the bank of the Tennessee River.
“The Olympic-distance race has always started at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Rowing Center dock,” Ms. Berz said. “When recent floods caused damage to the field, we reached out to neighboring Manker Patten Tennis Club, who had recently built a dock and kayak/stand up paddle board launch. They welcomed us with open arms, and we know the racer participants are going to love it."
For additional information about the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon, click here. To register for the event, click here.