ITU News Update - April 5, 2004

Madeira ITU World Championships - Special Edition Update

Aquathlon World Championships

In addition to the Triathlon World Championships, athletes will also be competing in Madeira for the title of 2004 Aquathlon World Champion. All are encouraged to sign up for this unique run-swim-run event consisting of a 2.5km run, 1km swim and a final 2.5km run.

The Aquathlon will take place on Wednesday, May 5 - ideal timing for athletes competing in the World Championships on the weekend.

Competitors receive as part of their entry in the Aquathlon ITU World Championships: Race Entry, Race Kit, Event t-shirt, Event light-weight bag, Event Souvenir Book, Parade of Nations & Welcome Ceremony, Pasta Party, Closing Dinner and 2 numbered plastic bags.

Registration for this event is now available online at www.trimadeira2004.com. The entry fee for the ITU Aquathlon World Championships is 42.50 Euro per athlete.

ITU Official Apparel Supplier

The Women's Breakfast in Madeira will take place at 9 am on Wednesday, May 5 at the Carlton Park hotel.

Speakers at the event include: Dra Conceição Estudante, Regional Minister of Social Affairs, and Marisol Casado, CEO of the Spanish Triathlon Federation, ETU President and ITU Executive Board Member. The breakfast always proves an inspiring event for women and men alike.

Tickets are available on www.trimadeira2004.com for 16.50 EUR.

World Cup Series T-shirts available here

Madeira Tourism Information

Information from www.madeiratourism.org: This week is a brief description of some of the islands natural highlights. More detailed information can be found on www.madeiratourism.org.

Madeira has a surprisingly mild climate due to its privileged geographical position off the coast of Africa and its mountainous relief. Temperatures average , 22ºC in the summer and 16ºC in the winter.

One of the greatest tourist attractions of Madeira is it's spectacular landscape. This archipelago retains a natural heritage of great scientific value, distinguished by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage. On Madeira Island you will find remains of a great forest dating back to the Tertiary Era before the great ice age. This forest once covered huge portions of the European Continent.

Five different areas of the Region were declared Nature Reserves - these are the Reserves of the Desertas and Selvagens Islands, the Nature Reserve of Rocha do Navio and the Garajau and Ponta de São Lourenço Reserves. Various endemic forms of flora and fauna are identified in each region. Bird watching is also tremendously popular as the island houses several rare species.

You won't want to leave the island without hiking through the ancient forests and Nature Reserves and visiting some of the many gardens on the island.

A Madeiro Hero: Alex Zino

One of the world's most famous conservationists, Alec Zino is from Madeiro - a quiet but humerous man with a fondness for practical jokes.

Besides his fame as an ornithologist, Zino established a foundation to care for disadvantaged girls. He also discovered on Madeira a bird thought to have been extinct - the stormy Petrel. The bird is now thriving again and has been named, "Zino's Petrel".

Zino was awarded the order of the "Infante Dom Henrique" by the government of Portugal. A great man from the Island of Madeira - he passed away only last month, aged 88.

© www.triathlon.org 2004