The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has confirmed the  2024 PTO Tour will return to Singapore on 12-14 April 2024, staging 100km triathlon races for female and  male professionals and experienced amateurs* as well as two duathlons. 

While PTO World No. 1’s Kristian Blummenfelt and Ashleigh Gentle claimed the pro titles in the Lion City  in August this year, it was the overwhelming vote of confidence from the participants that has helped  ensure a repeat of the swim, bike and run-packed weekend, with 92% saying they would recommend the  triathlon and duathlons to friends; 85% scoring the experience as excellent or very good in the post-race  surveys; and ‘atmosphere’ being voted the thing people most enjoyed1. 

Race slots go on sale at 4pm Singapore time today here for the 100km experienced amateur triathlon and  here for the Standard (4.5km Run/32km Bike/4.5km Run) and Long Distance (9km Run/64km Bike/9km  Run) duathlons that will take place on 14 April 2024. Demand is expected to be high.  

Roy Teo, Chief of Industry Development, Technology & Innovation from Sport Singapore, commented: “We are always looking at opportunities to bring in a wider variety of sporting events to Singapore,  especially those that are innovative. With swimming, cycling, and running being among the top five sports  here, the PTO Tour naturally becomes an attractive addition to our sporting calendar. Having the best  athletes competing at the event provides an exciting opportunity for the community to rally together and  cheer them on. We also hope that these athletes can be an inspiration to future generations of local  triathletes. Following the positive feedback from the amateur participants in the first year, we hope that  PTO will continue to deliver an amazing experience for the athletes participating in the 2024 PTO Tour race.” 

Singapore Tourism Board’s Executive Director for Sports & Wellness, Ong Ling Lee, added: “We are  excited to see Singapore on the 2024 PTO Tour and look forward to welcoming the world’s top triathletes  and amateur participants back to our vibrant city next April. With Singapore’s iconic cityscape as the  backdrop, the PTO Asian Open adds to our impressive calendar of unique experiences, offering  participants an unforgettable opportunity to swim in the bay unlike anywhere else in the world.”

PTO CEO Sam Renouf said: “Singapore was a big weekend for the PTO because it represented exactly how  we’re looking to take longer distance triathlon to a broader audience – through world class athletes going  head-to-head in iconic locations and broadcast to a global audience. Add in the 6,000+ amateur athletes  who took part in an equivalent 100km triathlon, two duathlons and a 5km music run and it created the  kind of festival atmosphere that we aspire to and are working hard to take to more stops around the world  next year.” 

The spectacular swim will again take place in Marina Bay and while the exact bike and run course details  will not be confirmed until early in the new year, they are expected to be similar to this year when the  bike featured a 16km circuit with awe-inspiring views of the city. The route also featured a 4.5km run on  flat, paved surfaces that took competitors along the waterside, around the ArtScience Museum, through  the Gardens by the Bay and then back towards the world famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel. 

Team Singapore athletes past and present also got involved and joined the 1,000 experienced amateurs  for the 100km triathlon in five different relay teams. After completing his swim leg, Singapore’s Rio 2016 Olympic champion Joseph Schooling – who was part of a team with Calvin Sim (bike) and Jasmine Goh  (run) – said: “Overall, I had a lot of fun. Rounding the buoys was something different, I’m used to turning  in the pool. Overall, I’m just happy to finish. I got a little nervous and excited a few days leading up to this.  It was nice to be in a race atmosphere, in terms of nutrition and sleep time – that’s something I really  missed. Going 20 times what I’m used to in terms of distance…it was out of my comfort zone and that was  fun. Hopefully I get a chance to do it again next year and I’ll be better prepared.” 

Experienced triathlete and Talking Triathlon podcast host, Tim Ford, was also among the amateurs who  competed in the inaugural 100km event and did not hold back with his praise. Talking on his podcast after  the event, he said: “I raced the 100km Age Group race in the morning, which is basically the same course  [as the pros] and to race in that event in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands in the centre of the city and the  bike course was legitimately one of the best bike courses I’ve ever ridden on and I’ve done thirty-five  70.3’s around world. It was phenomenal for me.”  

The PTO’s return to Singapore in 2024 comes hot on the heels of announcing Ibiza as the home of the PTO  European Open (28-29 September). Further stages of the 2024 PTO Tour will be announced in the coming  months.