NMITF holds first Enticer tomorrow

The first of a series of Enticer races will be held tomorrow, Feb. 8, the organizing Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation announced yesterday.

The course (swim, bike, run) will start and finish at Paupau Beach in Tanapag.

Registration time will begin at 6:30am, while the participants will be off for the swim at 7am, a distance of roughly 500 meters.

Organizers said they would allow participants to use their snorkels and fins.

The bike will be about six miles from Paupau Beach to Banzai Cliff Memorial Park and back, while the run will cover less than two miles from Paupau Beach to Marianas Resort and Spa and back.

Registration fee will be $5 for NMITF members, while non-members will pay $10. Anyone interested to become new members of NMITF will be charged $35, including the race.

NMITF’s Lewie Tenorio said Enticer races are short distance triathlons organized by the NMITF to get all triathletes, first-timers, and veterans ready for upcoming big races.

Sunday’s event will be the first of a series of Enticer races leading up to XTERRA and Tagaman sometime in April.

Tenorio said that most triathlon clubs organize Enticers as a way for beginners to become involved in triathlon.

Such events are purposely held with shorter distances and the fun of it so as to draw more participants and so that just about anyone can do them.

“We encourage anyone who has ever thought of doing XTERRA or Tagaman to come out and join us and hopefully this will be their first step toward reaching that goal,” Tenorio said.

He recalled that not too long ago he was also a rookie triathlete and thanked NMITF Enticer races for his initiation to the sport.

“I was able to gradually build toward the longer triathlons,” he said.

Tenorio said the second Enticer race will be held later this month or early next month.