Rocking Race Planned for Clearwater

The route is not yet set, but a rocking race is coming to Clearwater.

City leaders unanimously approved a contract with Competitor Group Inc., organizers of the Rock and Roll Marathon Series, to bring a triathlon event to Clearwater Nov. 11 through Nov. 13, 2016.

The popular race series promoters created the Land Rover TriRock event with competitions also planned for New York, Annapolis, Seattle, Austin and San Diego.

The city will offer up $30,000 in support which includes police, traffic operations staff, event security, lifeguards and medical coordination. Additional costs would have to be reimbursed to the city, according to the agreement. The contract can be canceled immediately with written notice within thirty days of the event.

The draw with this race is that aside from participants, there are spectators who come out for the entertainment as bands and performers are strategically placed along the race route, said Kevin Dunbar, director of the city's parks and recreation department.

The event includes a 1.5 meter swim, 40K bicycle and 10K run, with a similar course, still to be finalized, as the cancelled 5150 Clearwater Triathlon event last year. The race was postponed because of low registration turnout, according to its website. Because of that, the city ended its contract with World Triathlon Corporation.

That course featured a swim portion in the Gulf of Mexico near Pier 60; a bike route around the Belleair, Sand Key and Memorial Causeway bridges and downtown Clearwater; and a run over the Memorial Causeway Bridge down Beach Walk and back.

The Rock and Roll Marathon Series has events in Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle and St. Louis and international contests in Spain, Portugal and Ireland. There is a race in St. Petersburg planned for Feb. 12.

“They’ve grown across the country and they’re good at what they do,” council member John Doran said about the promoters of the race series. “I think this is a really good thing for all of us.”

*updated 9:01 a.m. Feb. 5.