This Saturday the International Triathlon Holten starts with with almost no empty spots at the start of every category. The race, a Qualifying Event for the Olympics in Beijing in 2008, only has a few slots left in the race for the European Junior Cup and Elite Women Premium Cup. All other categories have a wait list with a few hundred athletes. After getting appointed by the ETU to host the European Championships in 2009, the Holten organisation even expects an increase on interest in their race for next year.

In the last years the Holten Triathlon already had hundreds of triathletes placed on a wait list for the 1/4 and 1/8 distance triathlon. This year however the organisation also had to make lists for the categories Elite, Nationals and Masters. There are still some slots for the European Junior Cup Race.

All Junior triathletes will start at 12.15pm at the Schipbeek, followed by the Elite woman and Elite man at 12.45pm and 13.05pm. The Elite category represents no less then 26 different nationalities. There is a price purse of over 25.000 euro for the first ten Elite woman and Elite man to finish the race. Extra price money is awarded to the Elite athletes with the fastest split time on the swim, cycle and run course. The business club of the Holten Triathlon has made extra price money available for the first Dutch triathlete to finish.

The organisation of the Holten Triathlon regrets having to disappoint triathletes who are not on the start list because of the overwhelming interest for their race, but hopes to see everyone this weekend in our 100% triathlon minded village.