Where triathlons are struggling worldwide and many races are unfortunately cancelled, CHALLENGE TAIWAN is all set to host a race for over six thousand athletes at the end of April (24-25, ed.). This will make the 2021 edition of the race even bigger than the one held late last year. The organization team has worked very hard for this, under the motto: ‘make your own story’.
Last year’s motto was “we have a deal” and so now this is being built on. CHALLENGE TAIWAN promises to be another event for the whole family, with a Full Distance, but also a Middle Distance, an Olympic Distance and Sprint Distance. In addition, there will also be a Junior Challenge and a Team Relay. “The story of CHALLENGE TAIWAN includes Taitung, mountains, ocean, enthusiastic residents, friends, families and every triathlete who come to participate in the race. We have written a lot of stories so far already and every athlete is one of the protagonists. This year CHALLENGE TAIWAN welcomes every athlete to write down our CHALLENGE TAIWAN story together”, said Race Director Roann Chen.
Taiwan is currently working very hard – as is the whole world, for that matter – to resist the coronavirus and is succeeding extremely well, Chen explains. “With the joint efforts of all people in Taiwan fighting with the epidemic, Taiwan’s prevention effectiveness has dazzled the world. In addition to coordinate with policies and building epidemic prevention facilities, Taiwan’s sports climate is also becoming more and more prosperous. People are really investing in sports like swimming, cycling and running at this point.”
According to Chen, Taitung, the place where CHALLENGE TAIWAN takes place, is really worth visiting. “We have the longest coastline – 176 kilometres – in the country, the best air quality, a rich geological landscape and a refreshing scenery. Taitung is not only a perfect city for doing triathlon, but also a sports tourism city. There are mountains and coast to surround the city, night markets which have diverse food and drinks to offer, a unique aboriginal culture and friendly residents. In Taitung you will discover that sports are not just sports but a way to discover the city.”
CHALLENGE FAMILY CEO Jort Vlam is delighted to follow all the developments surrounding CHALLENGE TAIWAN and is happy to provide additional support to the team. “It is amazing to see what the CHALLENGE TAIWAN team is capable of. Last year the team already set up a race with such a large number of participants that it was actually considered impossible, and now they are even going to exceed that. That really is an incredible achievement. We can’t wait to welcome all these thousands of athletes at the end of this month in Taitung and then make it an unforgettable CHALLENGE TAIWAN.”