The Los Angeles Triathlon’s Fresh New Approach
The race makes a highly-anticipated return with a cool new twist on combining the city’s culture with the world’s greatest sport.
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The Los Angeles Triathlon is back after a three-year-hiatus, thanks to global nutrition company Herbalife Nutrition’s investment in the iconic race. On June 2, LA’s legendarily traffic-jammed streets will be open only to triathletes for the swim-bike-run adventure of a lifetime, winding from Venice Beach to downtown.
Now under the helm of longtime Angeleno, Brennan Lindner, the Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles will not just go through the city of Los Angeles, but it will reflect the many unique neighborhoods and people who make L.A. one of the most culturally diverse places in the world.
“You get to see and experience L.A. on a different scale, particularly in such a car-centered culture,” says Lindner, the event’s new race director and owner of L.A.-based Generic Events. “You get to see the city up close.”
According to Lindner, the Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles will “bring the soul of L.A. into the race experience,” through its use of interactive, Insta-worthy opportunities and authentic L.A. culture. Racers might make their mark on a Herbalife24 Triathlon graffiti wall near the Venice Beach swim start, in a neighborhood known for its street art. Riders will cross the usually traffic-congested city on an entirely closed course and might catch a glimpse of Asian drummers in Koreatown or a mariachi band near the historically Latino MacArthur Park neighborhood.
And like everything L.A., the Herbalife24 Triathlon will have its share of glitz and glamour. Athletes can expect a first-class experience from start to finish: Shuttles will take athletes to and from each end of the point-to-point course, and bike valets will take racers’ bikes as they zip into T2. Specially designed Herbalife24 Triathlon kits from clothing brand Wattie Ink will inject a little bit of fun SoCal fashion. And just to add a little “star power,” the famous finish line voice, Mike Reilly, will bring racers home as they end their journey near downtown L.A.’s Staples Center while pros like Kona podium finisher Heather Jackson battle on the streets of L.A. for a chance at some cash.
From out-of-town racers to local triathletes, the newest version of the Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles will have something new for everyone. With a fresh approach at bringing the City of Angels to life via multisport, Lindner couldn’t be any more excited: “This is our chance to celebrate the uniqueness of Los Angeles.”