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Professional triathletes Stephane Poulat and Katya Meyers have confirmed they are set to compete in the Tinman Rohr Aquathlon & 10K Swim slated for Saturday, March 9, 2013.

That is according to Wadadli Triathlon Club which is hosting the two-fold event.

The events will both start at 7 am at Turners Beach.

Poulat and Meyers will compete in the aquathlon, which combines a swim and run, starting with a 2,000m swim and continuing straight into a 10,000m run.

French professional triathlete Benjamin Sanson, who won the 2012 Tinman Rohr Triathlon, confirmed earlier that he would compete in the country’s first-ever 10k swim.

Stephane Poulat, also a French professional, remains one of the world’s premier Ironman triathletes and had several top three places on the Ironman circuit last year.

Last year, Poulat placed second in the famed St Croix half-ironman, ahead of the now embattled Lance Armstrong on his return to triathlon.

Poulat’s successful career stretches back to 1991 and includes a 14th place finish in the 2004 Olympics. In 2011 he placed 16th in the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships.

USA pro-triathlete Katya Meyers also has numerous top finishes on the Ironman circuit including victories at the RAGE half ironman, New Balance half ironman and Solana Beach triathlon in the past two years.

Katya’s success has led her to grace the covers of major fitness magazines such as Triathlete, SELF, Bicycling, and Competitor.

The three professional triathletes will be in Antigua & Barbuda from March 3 until March 10 and intend to lead a number of swim and run classes on the island during their time here.

President of Wadadli Triathlon Club Cleofoster Harris explained the aim was two-fold – firstly, to help local athletes, and secondly, to help promote Antigua.

“We want to expose the athletes here, especially the younger ones, to some of the world’s best athletes. It’s a great chance for the swimmers and runners here to not only learn from these guys but also test themselves against them,” said Harris.

“Separate to that, we want to show that we can play host to the world’s best athletes and put on some world class events right here in Antigua,” he added.

Meanwhile, Wadadli Triathlon Club announced they have launched a new website  at www.antiguatinmantriathlon.com, designed by 365Antigua.com.

“We want to build some truly international events here and we needed a face to the world that demonstrated the quality and professionalism we produce,” said Harris.

“Triathlon is growing at an incredible speed around the world and there is a huge demand for new races in exotic places and in particular islands.”

“St Croix, Puerto Rico and now Guadeloupe have all created some great half-ironman races and they are reaping the rewards now with thousands of people coming in to the island every year to race. We think we can do the same here,” added Harris.

The Tinman Aquathlon & 10K Swim is supported by the American University of Antigua, OBSERVER Media Group, Cedars Pottery and 365Antigua.

It is also endorsed and supported by Antigua & Barbuda Triathlon Association, Antigua & Barbuda Swimming Federation and National Olympic Committee.