Abu Dhabi: James Buchanan and Genevieve Godward won in the respective men and women’s categories of the inaugural Urbanathlon at Yas Marina on Saturday.
Six hundred athletes took part in the 17-stage 10km urban obstacle course with the winners receiving an all-inclusive trip to the USA to compete in Urbanathlon USA 2015. The event was the latest in a global 16-leg series.
Buchanan, who crossed the finish line in 39 minutes 39 seconds, said he was delighted to have won. “I feel tired, I feel extremely happy but most of all I feel like I had a really good day,” he said. “To come to a place like this and win is absolutely brilliant. This is one of the best races I’ve ever done of any type, it was very professionally organised and has a very unique feel to it with lots of Yas Marina-specific obstacles — Formula 1 cars, swimming in the marina, dragging tyres down the drag race track — all this unique stuff you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”
Godward, who finished in 49 minutes 21 seconds, also credited the event.
“I can’t believe I won,” she said. “I had so much fun and it was a brilliant feeling crossing the finish line in front.
“The event was really well organised and this is a great venue for the race, it was so good to run past the Formula 1 cars and the course was always changing with a lot to look at. I’ve won a few races before but nothing as large as this that involved a holiday to the USA as a prize.”
Andrew Nagy said on behalf of the organisers that they were already planning next year’s event. “The first ever Urbanathlon held in the Middle East has been a great success,” he said. “We were delighted with such a fantastic turnout, and we were pleased to welcome a wide array of athletes of all abilities that signed up to take part in the region’s toughest challenge, and we look forward to planning next year’s race already.”