Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.22
Trend:
Baku 2015 European Games Operations Committee is pleased to announce that a venue has been finalized for the Triathlon event next summer.
The event - which will see 130 of Europe's finest athletes going for gold - will be held at Bilgah Beach, located just north of Baku city centre.
The race - which will consist of a 1,500 metre swim, 40 kilometre bike ride and 10 kilometre run - is anticipated to be one of most popular events of the first European Games.
"We are delighted to now be able to confirm details for the Triathlon at next summer's inaugural European Games," Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015, said.
"As the winners of the men's and women's events will automatically qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, we expect an elite field of athletes competing in what will prove to be a superb venue."
Situated close to the Athletes Village, Bilgah Beach is well-known as a luxurious seaside resort that is popular among both locals and tourists.
"We are very happy that Baku 2015 European Games has now secured this high-profile venue for the event," Marisol Casado, President of the International Triathlon Union, said.
"Their determination to secure a location that has the capacity to host high-quality sport as well as the large crowds that are expected to attend was very welcome."
"The continent's athletes will no doubt be delighted by the quality of the venue and we are already very much looking forward to next year's European Games," Renato Bertrandi, President of the European Triathlon Union, added.
The two-day competition will take place on the opening weekend of action next year, on June 13 and June 14.
"Triathlon by its nature is an extremely exciting sport and the Bilgah Beach is the perfect location for what will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the European Games sports program," Pierce O'Callaghan, Baku 2015 Director of Sport, added.
"The recent tests on the water quality were excellent and we are more than confident that the first European Games will see a thrilling race taking place in a spectacular setting."
Baku 2015 is the first ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent which will take place from June 12 to June 28, 2015.
There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of competition.
Nine of the sports will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio Summer Olympic Games in 2016. Those sports include Archery, Athletics, Cycling, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Triathlon and Volleyball.
Baku was awarded the Games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012. The Baku European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC) will organise and run the Games in co-operation with the EOC.