A STRONG contingent from the Crystal Palace Triathletes Club (CPTC) are preparing to tackle the Ironman Austria tournament.

The prestigious tournament, which begins on Sunday, consists of a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride and then finally a marathon.

A total of 22 members of CPTC will arrive in the small town of Klagenfurt, Austria, along with a band of supporters.

Typically the athletes will be racing for between 10 and 16 hours a day depending on how quick they are.

While for a few CPT members this will be their third or fourth Ironman, the majority will be tackling the mammoth triathlon for the first time.

Club chairman John Petrides, a seasoned Ironman competitor, said: "It will be great to have so many members taking part in Austria.

"We will be able support one another both in the lead up with all the training and also on the day during the race."

CPT is a friendly and sociable club with around 140 members in and around the Crystal Palace area.

The club recently celebrated their 15th anniversary and CPTC has seen a number of changes since its formation in 1993.

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