Video: Where to watch the Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds this Sunday

A quartet of bustling spectator zones will give visitors to Leeds top notch views of the city's debut ITU World Triathlon Series stage on Sunday.
The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.
The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.

Thousands of people are expected to gather at special viewing hubs, complete with music from Capital FM, big screens relaying the live action and entertainment, at Roundhay Park, Victoria Gardens, Briggate and Millennium Square.

A series of action-packed activity zones will also pop up along the route of the highly-anticipated Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds in areas such as Moortown and Headingley.

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The event will see world class athletes take on a 1.5km swim through Waterloo Lake, cycle 41.5km through Roundhay, Moortown, Headingley, Burley and the city centre, and run 10km around the city hours after thousands of amateurs have tackled a similar course.

The city centre spectator hubs will be among the best locations to watch the elite action, with the likes of the Brownlees doing several city centre laps on bike and foot during the race.

As a result, organisers have enlisted Rio Carnival-inspired acts, music and giant puppets to perform in Victoria Gardens and Briggate as the athletes prepare for the last race before the summer Olympics in Brazil.

Coun Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Everything is ready now for another fantastic event in Leeds being watched around the world.

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“There is something for everyone to enjoy across the weekend, so we look forward to seeing lots of people enjoying themselves at Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds.

The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.
The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.

“The races on the Sunday promise to be something very special with some of the world’s finest athletes competing on our streets.”

Both the elite and amateur athletes will finish the race on the blue carpet finish line in Millennium Square, where two big screens will show all the elite action.

The square’s grandstand will be free to enter until 12.15pm when it becomes ticket-only. The amateurs will set off from 7am before the elite women start at 1pm and the elite men head off from 3.45pm.

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The race will follow a day of activity in Roundhay Park on Saturday. There will be a family fun day, beginner-friendly Go Tri events as well as junior races and a sports expo featuring cycling, rowing and table tennis.

The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.
The ITU World Triathlon Series banners are up at Leeds Town Hall. Picture by Simon Hulme.

An official City Expo will also run from Friday to Sunday at Millennium Square and Victoria Gardens, showcasing triathlon clubs and sports organisations.

Meanwhile roads are due to close en route from Roundhay on Sunday from 3.30am to 5pm, while city centre routes will remain shut until midnight, leading organisers to put on regular shuttle buses from Eastgate via York Road to Oakwood during the event. Fares will cost £2 per single journey or £4 per return, with half fares for under 19s.

For further details visit leeds.triathlon.org.