2011 Love River Triathlon / 2011愛河國際鐵人三項競賽
2011 Love River Triathlon
◎English written by Lin Yi-chun
◎Photos courtesy of The Sports Association of Kaohsiung City
The 6th Love River Triathlon was held on March 6th and ran though Kaohsiung along the Love River. The Love River is a unique geographic feature that allows Kaohsiung the privilege of being the only city in Taiwan to host an urban triathlon. The triathlon covers a standard Olympic distance of 51.5 km (1.5 km swim, 40 km cycle and 10 km marathon), with 1377 participating, international tri-athletes. Participants included 400 military personnel, athletes training for Taiwan's Olympic team, individuals from several Western countries and some of the world's top tri-athletes. Hundreds of military personnel came out in support of their colleagues, bringing with them their own drum corp. Cheering fans, relatives and friends of competitors gathered to capture the starting moment.
In the relay category, male and female triathletes are mixed regardless of group division. This course is also 51.5 km of swimming, cycling and a marathon and should be completed by teams of three athletes. Among the competing tri-athletes were some young athletes that particularly enjoyed the swimming, diving simultaneously into the Love River. The cycling route ran alongside the romantic Love River, terminating at the Kaohsiung Fine Art Museum. It was highly praised since it is a flat and comfortable route. The marathon was routed alongside Kaohsiung's most scenic locations, giving competitors the opportunity to fully appreciate Kaohsiung's beauty.
Some particularly special competitors included Yang Shan-ying, 19, who serves in the navy, joining her colleagues and challenging herself. Although she was kicked a lot and nervous during the swimming, not knowing the depth of the Love River, she overcame her fears and successfully completed the swimming section. Another interesting athlete, Slovakian tri-athlete Michal Bucek, flew in from Hong Kong to participate. He enjoyed the Love River's 21°C water and weather. He felt Kaohsiung was an ideal venue for the race. Competitors experienced different aspects of the Love River and regardless of how they placed, all competitors showed extraordinary determination and enthusiasm. This in turn infused great energy into the city.
The Love River Triathlon is one of Kaohsiung's most important annual international events and greatly influences the city's culture of sports. It was a great success and many tri-athletes have vouched to come back and compete again next year.
2011愛河國際鐵人三項競賽
◎文／黃大為
◎照片提供／高雄市體育會鐵人三項委員會
第六屆「愛河國際鐵人三項競賽」登場。高雄市因為有愛河流貫市區，得天獨厚地成為全國唯一能於市區舉辦鐵人三項的城市。愛河鐵人三項包括游泳、自由車、路跑，此次共吸引1377名選手參賽，這其中還包括了400 名的國軍弟兄、奧運培訓國手，還有數十名西方選手參賽，可說是精英盡出。
比賽開始前，由國軍弟兄所組成上百人的啦啦隊，在風光明媚的愛河旁，鼓號樂隊齊鳴，聲勢驚人。宣告競賽正式開始的槍聲鳴起，選手們的奮力身影，一一為聚集的加油團和親友們的快門記錄下來。
此次「高雄愛河鐵人三項」競賽採用亞奧運標準賽程五十一點五公里（游泳一點五公里、自行車四十公里、路跑十公里）；鐵三角接力，不分組別，男、女可混合組合競賽，賽程同五十一點五公里，三人接力完成，按照游泳、自由車、路跑的順序進行。其中，有年輕的參賽者表示最喜歡的就是「游泳」，因為可以「相約跳愛河」，而從浪漫的愛河畔到高雄市立美術館的「自由車」路程，則被稱為平坦而舒適的參賽環境；「路跑」更將美麗景色盡收眼底。
海軍楊姍穎與同袍一同挑戰鐵三角接力，她分享了在風光明媚的的愛河游泳的心情。年僅19歲的她說因為選手人數眾多，常被踢到，愛河又踩不到底，讓她感到很緊張。
而遠從東歐斯洛伐克來的Michal Bucek談到，他自香港飛到高雄參賽，約攝氏二十一度的愛河水溫，加上高雄空氣濕潤，適合比賽。
選手們用運動的方式，感受愛河的萬種風情。無論得名與否，每位選手都展現了過人的毅力和熱情，也為高雄帶來活力。這是繼2月舉辦的「2011高雄馬拉松」後又一重要的國際賽事，帶動城市的運動風氣，現場已有選手們相約下次再戰，相信高雄的運動風潮會不斷綿延下去。