Fan-favorites such as Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) and Lionel Sanders (CAN) are among the star-studded field of over 50 professional and thousands of age group athletes set to race on December 13th-15th, 2019 at CHALLENGEDAYTONA. The 2nd annual CHALLENGEDAYTONA festival is held at iconic Daytona International Speedway®, voted “Best New Race” 2018 by Triathlete Magazine.
“We welcome athletes and fans to what will be one of the most memorable weekends of 2019. I anticipate we will witness never-seen before finishes and accomplishments this weekend,” says CHALLENGEFAMILY CEO Zibi Szlufcik.
Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile adds, “We are honored to provide athletes and fans the world-class experience they deserve. We look forward to being part of race memories that will carry forward in their lives.”
The CHALLENGEDAYTONA Festival begins December 13, 2019 and carries through December 15, 2019. The event is free for spectators and parking is located on site. Spectators are encouraged to join and view the professional field of athletes competing in Daytona Distance Under the Lights, which will include a two-lap, 1-mile swim; a 15-lap, 37.5-mile bike; and an 8.2-mile run—all within the Daytona International Speedway property. The entire course is optimized for viewing, with opportunities for spectators to get up close and cheer for their favorite pros midway through the swim, all along the bike and run legs, and at each transition juncture. The unique Daytona Distance Under the Lights race, exclusive to the professional field, will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 14th. The start time provides prime viewing for age group athletes competing in either Saturday’s Sprint Distance events or Sunday’s Middle Distance events. The late start is also designed to create an unprecedented sensory experience, as the lights at Daytona International Speedway – normally reserved solely for NASCAR racing, sports cars and Supercross – will illuminate the track at 5:30 p.m., just as the Florida sun sets and the pros speed around the track.
An autograph session with pros will be hosted on December 13, 2019 from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the CHALLENGEDAYTONA expo.
Anyone interested in participating in the numerous events offered at CHALLENGEDAYTONA —including Sprint and Middle Distance Triathlons (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run), the Junior Challenge kids’ race, Relay categories, Duathlon and Aquabike events, and 5K/10K run/walk events—is invited to visit www.challenge-daytona.com for more information and to register. The top six male and female finishers in each Middle-Distance Triathlon age group will qualify for entry in THECHAMPIONSHIP, to be held on May 31, 2020 at the x-bionic sphere in Samorin, Slovakia.
About CHALLENGEDAYTONA
Are you ready to swim, bike, and run at the “World Center of Racing®”? From December 13th-15th, 2019, Daytona International Speedway will welcome triathletes and triathlon fans from around the world to CHALLENGEDAYTONA. Named “Best New Race” 2018 by Triathlete Magazine, the entire festival of events will take place at the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, home of “The Great American Race®”—the DAYTONA 500®. www.challenge-daytona.com
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of “The Great American Race” – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the “World Center of Racing,” boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training. For more information, visit DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com.
