By HENRY MORABANG
NEIGHBOURING Solomon Islands will add an international flavour to the Sepik Iron man competition this year.
Sepik Ironman Challenge organiser Stephen Damien said yesterday that the Solomon Island Triathlon Association (SITA) will send four athlete for the Queenís Birthday event in Wewak.
Damien said SITA president Ross Andrewartha has confirmed their participation.
Andrewartha, an expatriate working as a team leader on an Australian AID sponsored forestry project in Solomon Island capital, Honiara, was instigative about getting a triathlon team to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.
Triathlon was new in the Solomon Islands and it was good to allow the team to take part in many regional events, Andrewartha told Damien via email.
Damien said the Sepik Ironman committee was honoured to have the Solomon Islands triathletes come and compete in June.
“The Solomon Islands athletes come with an enormous experience in triathlons, especially among the South Pacific island countries,” he said.These athletes recently competed in the Noosa Ironman challenge in Queensland.
”We look forward to them lifting the profile of the Sepik Ironman and triathlon events in the PNG. It is also a tremendous opportunity for locals in Wewak to compete with fully fledged triathletes from the region.
The 2008 Sepik Ironman will be held on Sunday, June 8 - the Queens Birthday weekend.
This year is of particular significance to us as it is the Sepik Ironman’s fifth anniversary.
It is also the patron, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare’s 40th anniversary in politics.
“So this year, we intend to make the event a grand event!” said Damien.