Lombok is gearing up to host its first-ever International
Triathlon next month. The event will be held over the weekend
of 27 and 28 October, and is slated to become an important
annual sporting fixture for the island.
The Lombok Triathlon comprises a 1.8 km swim, a 55 km bike
ride and a 12 km run. The swim will take place in Senggigi
Bay, off the beach in front of The Santosa. Event organisers
chose the Bay, as the waters are naturally calm and the wide
beachfront enables ease of viewing for spectators. After the
swim, participants will have a chance to towel off and change
clothes before embarking on a gruelling bike ride up the coast
road north of Senggigi. Anyone who has driven the steep hills
and hair-pin corners of this road will understand the level
of fitness required to conquer this track!
At Pemenang, the cyclists will turn onto the road through
the Pusuk Pass to tackle the challenging twists and turns
through the Monkey Forest Road and the tropical forest. The
course then continues through Gunungsari and Meninting, before
returning to Senggigi. The Sheraton Senggigi Resort is the
major sponsor for the event, and all start and finish points
will be within the beautiful grounds of the Resort.
Finally, the fittest survivors will finish up with a 12 km
run which travels north from the Sheraton and circumnavigates
the beachfront at Kerandangan. It’s a compact 6 km course
that allows for maximum spectator viewing, but has to be completed
twice to make up the distance. The shaded coconut grove lining
the beach should give some respite to participants, but there
are a couple of steep hills to be negotiated before and after!
Triathlon organisers, TRIBOB, expect this year’s event
to be limited in numbers to around one hundred participants,
but estimate this figure will grow substantially in future
years. The triathlon specialists have organised similar events
in Bintan, Indonesia, as well as Malaysia and Vietnam previously,
and have enjoyed great success on the international circuit,
with this year’s event in Bintan attracting over 1000
participants.
When TRIBOB Race Division Manager, Matthe Vijverberg, and
his team first came to Lombok, they thought the island was
very beautiful and immediately recognised its great potential
as a triathlon venue. With little traffic on the major coastal
road and stunning natural landscapes, they decided Lombok
would be their next choice for a triathlon destination. “We
want to bring people to Lombok for the event, and also to
show people what a special venue this is,” he said.
The Governor and local government agencies have also thrown
their support behind this inaugural Lombok Triathlon. The
Department of Tourism is working closely with the Lombok Hotels
Association, the local Police Department, the Public Works
Department, the Navy and even Customs officials, to ensure
that the event goes smoothly. Navy personnel will be on hand
during the swim in case of emergencies, the police will coordinate
closure of roads and traffic control during the bike ride
and run, and Customs will make special provisions for triathletes
travelling into Lombok with racing bikes and equipment. The
enthusiasm and cooperation demonstrated by the Lombok government,
as well as TRIBOB and the Lombok Hotels Association, is truly
commendable.
Perhaps the most noticeable benefit to Lombok as a result
of the Triathlon is the long-awaited upgrading of the main
road that runs along the coast north of Senggigi, and is the
main artery to the north and to the Gili islands. Over the
past few months, Public Works has carried out major upgrades
to the road, repairing potholes and bad patches, and in some
cases, resurfacing the bitumen in preparation for the biking
event. The road is now a pleasure to drive on and will be
much safer for triathlon participants. Much of the scrub and
bushes that had grown rampant on the roadsides has been cleared
and, at the turn of each corner, travellers are presented
with magnificent views of the numerous stunning beaches and
bays that make up this section of Lombok coastline.
Personally, I think the Triathlon is a great idea for Lombok
as a destination… but I’ll also be cheeky and
say that, if it keeps one of my favourite drives up the coast
looking this good every year, it’s already a winner!
