Thursday, February 27, 2014

Katherine Kelly Lang & Don Diamont to Participate in Abu Dhabi International Triathlon

Longtime soap opera star Katherine Kelly Lang and Don Diamont from hit CBS show THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL will compete in this year’s Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, which takes place on March 15, 2014.

Katherine Kelly Lang will compete in the individual short course (0.93 mile swim, 62 mile bike, 6.2 mile run), while Diamont will captain THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Tri Team, taking on the swim leg in the shimmering turquoise waters off Abu Dhabi’s picturesque Corniche beach.

Lang is an original cast member of the award-winning television show, playing the lead role of Brooke Logan, while Diamont is the hit show's dashing debonair Bill Spencer, Jr. Lang will be raising money for Breakaway from Cancer, while Diamont will be fundraising for The Don Diamont/Alyssa Mazur Foundation.

Faisal Al Sheikh, Director, Events Bureau, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), who organizes the annual event, said: “Unbeknownst to many of her fans, Katherine is also a talented sportswoman and triathlete and has been persuaded to join us on the Corniche line-up adding an additional touch of glamour to our existing super-star line-up. This will be Don’s triathlon debut and we’re thrilled it’s being made in Abu Dhabi.”

Last year was one of athletic achievements for Lang, who in August won her age group category in Los Angeles’ Hansen Dam Triathlon, while in September she came third in the celebrity division of the Malibu Triathlon, and a month later won her age group in the Los Angeles Triathlon. Lang is hoping to continue her winning streak with a podium finish in Abu Dhabi.

“I’m really excited to be competing in Abu Dhabi,” said Lang. “I’ve heard it’s one of the world’s most beautiful and challenging triathlon courses and I’m planning to head over ahead of time to get in some training and take full advantage of the spectacular surroundings. This year I’m really stepping up my triathlon training with my end goal to compete in Ironman Hawaii in 2015. Here’s hoping my Abu Dhabi experience will set me up well and help me prepare for the challenging year ahead.”

Lang lives and breathes sport, spending her days off playing tennis, windsurfing, mountain bike riding, horseback riding and competing in triathlons. She owns several horses and competes in 25 mile and 50 mile cross-country endurance races. She’s also familiar with the region, as she placed third in Qatar’s International Desert Marathon in 1996.

Prior to joining the THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, Diamont had a 22-year stint on CBS’ daytime mega-hit THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, which cemented his status as one of the US’s most recognized soap stars. Diamont is also the only daytime actor to feature in People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful & Sexiest Man Alive issues.

Looking ahead to the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon next month, Diamont said: “When Katherine told me she was taking part, I jumped at the chance to join her. As this is my first triathlon, I’ll be competing as part of a relay team which I think is the perfect way to experience a triathlon event and get a feel for what’s in store. I’m competitive by nature so, who knows, next year I may come back and do the full thing. Here’s hoping the spectators get behind The Bold and the Beautiful Tri Team as we take on this exciting challenge!”

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Tri Team will compete to raise money for The Don Diamont/Alyssa Mazur Foundation at UCLA’s MS Research and Treatment Center. Diamont founded the Foundation to raise funds for MS research after his niece, Alyssa, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The National Multiple Sclerosis Society named Diamont Ambassador of the Year for his devoted work and efforts to help find a cure for this crippling disease.

Other stars scheduled for the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon starting line include Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee and his brother, 2012 World Champion Jonathan Brownlee.

With a record number of entries to date and 70 percent of places already snapped up, the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon is now one of the UAE’s most illustrious and successful sporting events and has a growing reputation for being the most glamorous on the global triathlon circuit.

Starting in the turquoise waters off Abu Dhabi’s Blue Flagged public beach, the course will weave its way along the stunning Corniche to the spectacular Yas Island and around the Yas Marina Circuit, home to the annual Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, before returning to the heart of the city.

The Abu Dhabi International Triathlon offers three course distances; the 138.57 ‘long course’ (1.86 mile swim, 124.3 mile bike, 12.4 mile run), the half-length ‘short course’ (0.93 mile swim, 62 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) and the ‘sprint course’ (0.47 mile swim, 31 mile bike, 3.1 mile run). Both the ‘short course’ and the ‘sprint course’ can be run as a team relay.

Organizers have frozen athlete registration fees for the fifth year in a row. Athletes interested in entering should visit www.abudhabitriathlon.com and click on the “enter now” link. Entry fees for the long and short distances are $190 and $130, respectively, while Sprint course rates are $75 for individuals and $120 for a team. The fee for the team relay is $280.

For more information about the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, please visit www.abudhabitriathlon.com. For more information about the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, please visit http://visitabudhabi.ae.

1 comment: