“Still Expensive compared to many local events - Great Course and lovely atmosphere”

“great venue - Great to see the elite in action”

“A wonderful experience for young triathletes - Last year my son did the duathlon, this year he decided to go for the triathlon. He really enjoyed the race, the atmosphere of the race, and the rain just made it feel all the more "grown up". He cannot wait for next year to compete again! He absolutely loved meeting Andy Lewis, and is in complete awe of him! My younger son took part in the 1 km mini race - his first race experience! His medal is his most valuable and prized possession! Thank you! ”

“First Triathlon Sprint Experience, it was great - Very nice experience that will stay in my memory, the Venue was amazing, the setup, course, marshals was also amazing. my comments for areas of improvement are: - The medal material is cheap, we expected much better medal. - The photo service, wasn't as expected, where in the free photo i received 2 of the organizers are standing in front of the camera and blocking the view, and there was no photo for us while swimming. - In the transition Area, wider space to be considered for bikes to fit.”

“Excellent course but needs better signage - The course is spectacular. I only wish that there was better signage on the run to show how far into the loop we were. I didn't run with a GPS watch and I had no idea how far in the loop I had gone. I asked the marshals and none of them knew either. Thanks.”

“A great experience - Enjoyed every moment from start to the finish. Rolling start was a great idea and well managed. Bike and run courses were both improved from last year. Results layout much better than before as it shows all the split times without having to drill down on individuals. It would be helpful next time for the athletes’ guide to have a diagram of transition showing directions of flow.”

“Not the best experience ever ... - During the race, for the bike, I messed up with the laps and did not exit properly after the 4th laps. As a a result, I did 106km. Ok, my bad. I won't blame anyone but me. But asking someone from the organization if I was on the right way to the transition, he told me: "read your map idiot". This is not exactly what I expect from a race. So believe me, I won't come back again and I won't recommend this race to any of my friends. ”

“good race without ironman label - Start time was perfect, the childrens race with the bike rent great, organisation also. The free entry in the ferrari world was an experience. congratulations!”

“This event was in my top three event in the world. - I loved the event. Angela O'Shea was amazing and helpful. She even roped in her husband and son to run a pre-race cycle around the Island. I loved the venue. the water was warm and clean, the bike super fast (although I wasn't) and the run lovely. If I have an ask, it would have been to put out distance markers. When you don't know the route, it's helpful to know how far you've gone and still to go. However, just an amazing event. Thanks Angela and the team. ”

“Nice event, reat volunteers, no finisher shirt :( - I enjoyed the event a lot and a huge thanks to all the volunteers. Unfortunately we didn't get a finisher Shirt this time and there were no giveaways in the race pack. The Partner Hotels should be more cooperative in matters of a late-checkout. But Overall a great experience.”

“Better than last year, but still much to improve - Things to improve To properly clean the roads of bike segment: there was dirt on few turns and even scattered sharp pieces of glass (debris of car accident). To do the race briefing better, in a much larger area, on race day. To clearly divide/mark or number the bike racking individual areas. To improve in-transition signaling.”

“For a premier event it is expensive and below par - I like doing the event because of the venue and status of the event but in trying to cater for everyone it has lost its special nature for regular triathletes in the region many who actively do not do it anymore. There is no atmosphere around the route except at the finish, the Olympic distance starts at 09:30 is HOT, the distances of the event were longer than Olympic, the aid stations were poorly run with drinks not opened and helpers poorly trained. Dubai people dont see the Pro's on Friday”

“A bit of a mess and vvvvvery expensive - Except for the swimming part, the rest was a mess, nothing matched with the published distances. On top of that there was a lot of confusion during during the cycling and the running. I did the Olympic distance, and personally I think that it started too late and not even on time!. The event is becoming more and more expensive every year and I don't think it is worth.”

“Cycle course was absurd - But, besides that, changed three times in a week. The firs two were notified, the third was at the 18th km where instead of turning you had to keep strait and nowere it said it was olyimpic distance (straight was middle and turn was sprint). Also run was 10% more, which s ok if said up front, not ok if i find out troughot the race. also the run cours was not the one published.”

“Bike track needs improvement for safety purposes - Event is good except for bike track/route and the post event recovery snack. Crowd expectators are only in finish line. Thanks for cheering marshalls during the run. I hope that they will bring it back to Abu Dhabi Corniche next year because there are more expectators accross the 3 discipline during the event. Schedule should be moved-its so near with triyas and 70.3 ironman”

“Great event! :) - Everything was just right, except few things: - maybe one more aid station for bike course would be OK - no last minute email about briefing re-scheduled - finisher T-Shirt would be nicer than cheap backpack - Gate from Viceroy to YMC was closed, hotel guests were annoyed - stuff/volunteers on the finish line were not really polite, making to many stupid jokes (after I suffered for 7 hours)”

“Great event - I thoroughly enjoyed this event. I feel that the medals should be different for each catergory. To complete the middle distance and receive the same finishers medal as someone who completed the sprint distance (I completed the sprint) I think isn’t very good.”

“Good challenging half - The pack collection was disappointing. We were there for 12 it did not open until almost 12:20! The timing chips were not available in the bag and I'd left the race village and had to turn around and walk back to collect it. Most races I do the chip is already in the pack. Over previous years there's been big boards outside with your bib number on to aid your collection but this year you had to queue in the hot room to get this. Swim started late. Timing on gun time not chip time. Good aid stops”

“Good event but has room for improvement - I understand why the course was changed due to safety reasons. There was confusion on the course markings for the cycling in a number of places. The route to transition & the route to Gateway Park. Swim route was just fine. Running route was also too long, but I did not mind. There are still too many U turns in the cycling part of the event. Race village was good. Did have a concern that there was basically no security check when exiting the transition area with the bike at the end. ”

“Good Course but Terrible for Spectators - Great swim and bike course but the run NEEDS to change. No spectators on the course at all and they really only get to see the swim and transition area - really quite poor and I doubt my family would return if it doesn’t change for future events. Most other things were good except for the aid stations on the run. One or two more would have nailed it. As always thanks to the great volunteers- much appreciated ”

“Fantastic Weekend - Event giveaways could be more and more signposts to event start outside Yas F1 circuit would be appreciated. Support staff and volunteers were superb throughout all the day”

“For an ITU event, too many shortfalls - For an ITU event, I experienced too many shortfalls in the organization: - Pre-Race: Pack collection was chaotic on the Thursday. Not all kid's T-shirt size were available. Signage to reach race village were poor - Race: Bike course (especially entrance and exit of race track) was dangerous with debris on the road Not enough aid stations on the run course No T-shirt or towels on arrival Distance incorrect(shorter for middle and longer for Olympic) ”

“compare to other events place for improvement - - at least every athlete should receive an drinking bottle at the finish line. Should be in the race bag. -to charge 50USD for race photos is not acceptable. Whith other events its free. - very good was your whole team who support the event. ”

“Good one but can do better - Swim: Loved the rolling start! This is the way to go. The swim leg was very good, easy to jump in & out, easy to navigate. Great. Bike: Less people than last year at the turns (thanks to rolling start), so much better. But did not like at all the cobblestones section. Run: Did not like the run leg. First of all, why 11.3 km?! Then zero supporters, no ambiance, too little shade,... and poor aid stations (under staffed?) ”

“Impressive, some suggestions though - Sunburned despite sunscreen, noon sun in UAE not for race. I'm so used to getting slapped and elbowed that this was the most enjoyable triathlon swim I had! Good bike and run courses. Mark directions to transition and swim start in race village next time. Race briefing one day ahead - unsafe, many non-briefed athletes. Haven't received any pre-race SMS or directions to event site. Paid photos unfair. Elite race was very dangerous. Overall great course, community spirit, impressive top athletes!”

“Improved from last year! - Good points: Rolling start was great idea, much more controlled at the start and everyone have space to swim properly. Bike course was way better than last year - it was good course apart from being long! General organisation was good. Improvements: Start waves early, too long spend in hot sun KM markers on the run Transition in and out signs and clear in athlete guide. Overall enjoyed the event - shame time doesn't reflect my performance due to the longer distances. Great job!”

“Well done - Unfortunately the rented bike from besport was not as expected. Bike was week. Did not enjoy the cycle circuit due to many sharp turns”

“A great day out, - I thought the rolling swim starts worked so well. The cycle course was unbearable, with good signage along the whole route.i also enjoyed the run. Overall it was an amazing experience and I would definitely be back again next year.”

“Creative course, incredible location - From the announcer to the inventive and interesting course, this was an incredible event. I am a competitor from another country and would travel another 15hrs to participate again. Location needs another mention. Clean and warm water and clever swim course, Yas Marina cycle course was inventive and had the right challenges. Run along the canal great too”

“Nice triathlon - Nice and well organized triathlon, it would be necessary: - organize the bike park a bit better and start the running - Shift the starting times because finishing at 13:00 in the race is hot ... - install fogger at the water outlet to remove salt from the face”

“Awesome experience would love to attend again - From the time I entered the event, right up until the end it was a well-executed event. A special mention to Angela O’Shea for always attending to my questions professionally and timeously. As I flew from South Africa I always felt I was part of the community, only jealous i could not attend the training sessions. The social media was world class, with continuous updates. Well done to the team, you did a fantastic job. Once again thank you! ”

“The Event Has Plenty of Room for Improvement - The courses are Longer! No Finisher T-Shirt. Can we have food after the event? Can we bring the event back to its first location in Abu Dhabi Corniche? Me&My Friends started this crazy & yet amazing world of Triathlon as expectator when it was in Corniche (ADIT/ITU) and we're motivated to join seeing those amazing athletes. We need the event to be more public and accessible to spread awareness, and to inspire new generations of Athletes on this wonderful sports. Overall, it was amazing!”

“Amazing atmosphere all weekend - This event was great, feedback taken and vastly improved from last year. Highlight for me was the atmosphere over the weekend - you can tell a lot of thought went into the timetable and the village layout. There was a buzz all weekend. I don't agree that the bike course was too challenging, but I do agree that run distance markers would be good (and a simple addition). Overall - brilliant in my opinion! ”

“Transition marshal - The team was fantastic, positive and friendly, save for one of the transition marshals (lady, short silver hair) who talked to the participants like they were a nuisance. We bothered her, and that was clear. Not the first unfortunate interaction with her (IMDXB previously). So the attitude is not due to a bad day on the day, but rather a general attitude to others. We are there to have fun, enjoy the day, and the sport, not be treated like school children.”

“A good experience - A bit pricey!”

“Great event, really enjoyed it. - Thank you to the organisers for listening to last years critisism and improving things this year. Race Village flow so much better, podium awards well placed for all to see. Staggered swim start great, bike course FANTASTIC-please don't change it despite people moaning, it's challenging and interesting. Only complaints were no trophies for 1st place, no signage on the courses-I nearly missed a turn point, no finishers T shirt. But I really enjoyed the event and overall organisation was excellent”

“Bike course is very "unfriendly" - Bring back ITU Abu Dhabi to Cornish!”

“Still the most exciting Tri Race Event in AUH - Rolling start: two thumbs up! Support stations: [Bike course] the location of the water station on the bike course was before a u-turn making it more dangerous to hold the bottle and handle the bike. Perhaps an additional station? [Run course] more than enough, I guess. Volunteers were super! Route: An announcement about course change was made night before the race but was not implemented on the race day itself. Oly distance in effect was 1.7k,43k,11k Giveaways: Where is the finisher tshirt? :(”

“happy - The event pack last year was more better than this year , last year the provided me shirt and socks and extra bib sticks , hope to see more next year”

“Awesome TRI - I did enjoy a lot and it was my first time. Love the atmosphere, and i’m very satisfied with my result. Hope to come back next triathlon and be better and stronger. Awesome experience!!!”

“disappointing distances - Very disappointed with the incorrect distances fro the bike and run.. pretty much finished me off.. frustrating signage also”

“Traffic Road Signage deficient. - Very nice event. However, the Traffic Road Signage guiding to the location of the event from the main roads was very deficient. Traffic instructions should have received more attention at least in the Guide for Athletes.”

“Great race - The rolling swim start was fantastic! The volunteers at the end of the swim leg were also awesome. I really enjoyed the bike course - much better than 4 laps around the track. Distance markers on both the run and bike courses would help. As I did the sprint, it was much easier to navigate the signs, but I can imagine that it might have been a little confusing to navigate for the Olympic and Middle distance athletes. Better signage in the transition area is definitely needed,”

“Downhill from the first edition in 205 - Go back to teh course on teh Corniche. Twisty course around Yas lacks the glamour of teh old course. The event at Yas is a poor-boy repeat of Tri Yas.”

“Nice to be able to see the elite athletes. - Run course water station under the flyover was diabolical, there was one guy there desperately trying to open boxes of water. Vastly improved swim start. Great volunteers showing us the way.”

“Bad Experience - Unorganized, miscommunication between the organizers. ”

“Well organized, mostly. - Confusing course in parts, with little signage. The Olympic bike was over 3km longer than standard and very technical, and the Olympic Run was 1.5k longer than standard. Good aid stations. Excellent swim course and a well organized start. ”

“A memorable experience indeed - Very well handled by ActiveLifeDaman team. It was a fun trip all the way. Thank you Active Life Daman.”

“Very long distance! - This year all the distance was much longer then it should be. My garmin watches show 1700m swim distance, 11km run and cycling was really toooo long, my watches show 33.4km and bike computer shows 44km So the result time was not so good as I want, because of your very long distance I had a terrible result, very bad time, don’t want to participate here anymore”

“Good improvements made it a great event - Good to see that ITU took a lot of feedback on board to improve the overall event. Bike course was much better but still technical challenging. Swim start procedures were very good and the start time for Sprint took even the current direction into account. Transition setup could have some more orientation points to spot your bike. Bike racking and pickup very smooth. I love the race bag, much better value and usability compared to a shirt! Thanks to Daman ActiveLife! Volunteers did a great job! ”

“nice to have everything to pick up in the race vil - I asked 2 of the ladies where to put my bike, they gave me wrong place so on the transition from swim to bike it took me 26.33 minutes to find it!!! you can understand how angry and disappointed i was!!! The swim start however was awesome!! the cycling route was better and the run route was better, but nowhere for people to cheer us on or take pictures!?”

“Nice Bag, No Meal, No Shirt - Great touch with the bag but with no meal I’m not sure why a finisher shirt was not included. T2 was very bottle-necked and no distance signage on the run. With some tweaks could be an even better race. ”

“Good value for the money compared to other brand - The event is great. The ride through the circuit is amazing. It would be good to have some more signaling over the whole course (distance covered/remaining). Also, the aid stations on the run were not very well handled (not enough people or not necessarily focused on providing proper support)”

“Fantastic event but buy a decent tape measure!! - My third time participating and its disappointing when you find they cant measure a correct course distance. Everyone's GPS watch agreed the bike (which once again was a convoluted course) was 43k and the run was 11.4k. Why??? Also it start too late at 9.30 in March. It was brutally hot and difficult as a result. I really like this even and it has the potential to be great as it is brilliantly organized but the course is crazy. Come on guys make the bike course smoother and it the right distance”

“Good overall experience with some schoolboy errors - Swim was well organised and controlled Bike had sections over cobbles another though a 90 turn with debris and broken glass (could have been swept). Lots of tight turns but that was clear before you signed up. Olympic distances were wrong, bikes were sent on the Middle route rather than the Sprint (no sign for Olympic!) and the run did not have a Middle/Olympic Split as shown on the map (21km is more than 2x10km!) Marshals were good Medal poor, no recognition of distance and no T-shirt.”

“Great event, mostly! - Great organization, course and vibe. Superb support from Daman TriFit Challenge. Longer than Olympic distances! A nasty surprise! I saw several lost competitors running or cycling the wrong way due to junction complexity. According to multisportaustralia I cycled the last 22.5km at an average of 89kmh. Well done me! Race photos not yet published. In this Facebook age, the sooner the better. Not enough toilets. Showers after the race would be lovely!”

“Fun :-) but not a World Class event :-( - Very disappointing considering the price and expectation from a 'supposed to be' world class events. Most, if not all the events organised in the region are usually cheaper and better organised. It always feels like hosting the Pros for the WTS is at the expense of the Age group athlete ... The reason I do it is that I live next door but I would not travel for this event. Despite that. Fun regardless, awesome volunteers :-) Lovely Tri community ! ”

“Well organized and enjoyable event for all - Event was well organized and supported by Dahman, but with some considerations for next time : 1- cycling route was too technical with too many turns and U turns 2- cycling route needs to be on Yas circuit and Vehicle roads , not on uneven interlocked foot pathway, 3- needs to have a much earlier start to avoid the mid day sun. But overall enjoyed the event. Thank u”

“Fantastic triathlon - Great race once again”

“Fun atmosphere but needed mile markers, better r - Liked the vibrant atmosphere, rolling swim start, swim course, and happy to have finished my first triathlon. Transition was confusing with many entry/exits, no mile markers, no sports drink at aid station, marshals had no no information, route for both cycling n running wasn't great and no t-shirt ☹️”

“A unique, friendly, well organised event - All the staff and volunteers were amazing, happy and friendly. A little bit of training for those Manning the bottle station on the bike of the maxi would help.”

“Daman Tri Fit - I signed up to the Daman Tri Fit Team with some nervousness but it was so well organised from the start until I crossed the finish line that I can’t wait to do my next tri. Big shout out to Angela who looked after us all, lots of great triathlon tips and fantastic training sessions in the build up to the event. Loved the rolling swim start, great technical bike course and cold water on the run, what more do you need. At work today showing of my fantastic new bag! Thanks, see you next year ”

“Very nice event - I really enjoyed both the age group race and cheering to the pros race. The organization was really good. Maybe one point I would change - on refreshing stations I would include also fruits and chocolate, not just water. This really helps.”

“Simple Course Made Complicated - The Olympic swim out into the canal was directly into the sun so made sighting the buoys challenging, this would be fine if the kayaks or the boats were in between the buoys guiding the swimmers. Especially the ones at the front that everyone else follows! Bike course was technical which was fine, the bike into transition was confusing with the multiple entry points not clearly marked. 5k run course turn around point and transition exit not clearly marked, most ran further than required”

“Good event, needs improvement! - Too many tight u-turns and dangerous for bike path. Overpriced event (middle distance) all in all for little return, photos are extra cost. Distances can be measured accurately, could be due to last minute changes. I signed up with Daman's Tri fit Challenge a big thank you to Angela and the team. The Daman Team did an amazing job, everyone was very encouraging and supportive. Keep up the good work and see you next year!”

“Daman Tri-fit Challenge - I signed up with Daman's Tri fit Challenge as a first timer. What a great event! Well organised and really fun. The Daman Team did an amazing job, as did all the event staff. Everyone was unfailingly encouraging and positive. See you again next year!”

“Room for Improvement - Second and third place teams should have been recognised on the podium with Medals, especially considering the cost of team relay events! There needs to be a spot for supporters on the cycle and run route. Timing system used was great and nice to have instant results.”

“Great overall event but start times need to be a l - Catering on site was poor and disorganized for this amount of people signage could have been better to race village and also on site I found myself slowing down 2 on the bike to make sure I was on track”

“Improvements needed - Swim much improved with rolling start. Bike leg was over 43km and very tight and technical in many places with some dodgy surfaces at times. Good thing it wasn't wet as for the elites otherwise carnage would have ensued. Run was in excess of 11.3km so I was unable to compare times from 2017 and no distance markers on run. Shame about lack of event T shirt.”

“Good overall; need more communication - Thanks firstly for organizing. The changes to the swim from last year were amazing. Loved the rolling start. Last minute changes are inevitable but should be better communicated. The way transition worked for relay changed DURING the race - we were prepared for one thing in the am, and had to change based on what another racer told us (not ITU staff). the placement of numbers on the wristband meant that it could only dangle when worn. This was really bothersome. Thanks for the efforts”

“N/A - N/A”

“Excellent day out - Swim course was perfect Bike course was fun Run course was fast!! With so many athletes and events going at the same time over the two days it is incredible to think how much organization and time needs to put into every little detail. Hats off to everyone. Small hiccups along the way are to be expected at such a large event. Volunteers were so friendly and helpful. The athlete village was amazing. There was something for everyone. Well done all”

“Was my first triathlon - everyone was wonderful! - Race village was a bit chaotic Design of event venue was not the best - confusing! There was nowhere to escape the loud music and focus on the race prep ”

“Nice day out in Abu Dhabi, but... - Swim: well organized, especially the wave start, good course Bike: catastrophy: track often too narrow, dirt on roads, even splinters of glass ( how sick is that on a bicycle race?), roadhumps, very sharp turns, missing warning cones on racetrack curbs, what brought me to fall over. I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave the racetrack to outside. Yas Marina Triathlon is a much better bicycle course. Run: nothing wrong about it. Great thank you to the helpers on the racetrack!!”

“It is OK - Cycling route could be better and more info on route to cycle. T shirt would be nice to have in race pack. Just OK event”

“Great venue!! - Friendly and helpful marshalls especially when getting out of the water after the swim, super bike course - not just long straight roads, great way to start the swim which avoided too many people pushing and shoving all at once at the beginning! Notes on where to park in the pre event info would be useful - ie head to Gate 20. There were only 2 signs on one side of road and as we approached from the other way, not very helpful. A great event and wil definitely participate again!!”

“Adult event good, kids event complete mess. - Kids event was badly organized, especially the start and finish arrangement. No signage of where to go. People at the information desk were frankly useless. They knew nothing about any of the kids events. There was hardly any space for spectators at the finish either. Very bad position. Race packs were not complete, missing timing chips and were told there were none for the kids, until we got to the start and all other kids had one. Therefore he has no time registered. Need more space ...”

“Great race, little messy around the edges - All routes were great, finisher tshirt would have been nice.”

“Organizational mess - What a disappointment! After TriYas only a week ago I had high hopes but none were fulfilled. The bike course was downright dangerous. Unnecessary U-turns and sharp 90-degree turns with sand and pebbles, as well as potholes. Awful signage and marshaling. The volunteers seemed poorly briefed, if at all. Signs to “slow down” we’re placed 5 meters before dangerous turns. If the Yas race track is available - USE IT. Why the need to go outside. Transition was poorly organized and distances were off.”

“Much room for improvement - I wonder if organisers actually read feedback from last year. Almost all participants were unhappy with bike route, & yet it remained basically unchanged. If you can change the course last minute due to construction issues, surely you can come up with a better bike course with a full year to plan. Organisers seem more interested in relocating the swim start - fairly irrelevant. Poor marshaling. 9:10 am start far too late. Disappointing. Bring back Corniche. Better course. Better atmosphere.”

“Fantastic - This race was fantastic and such brilliant improvements from last year! The swim start was great and so much more fun, no kicking and stress with others around you. The Bike and run course was sooo much better, still technical and I loved it, suits my riding style. Definitely doing this one again next year! Thanks all!! ”

“Poorly planned route and poor quality giveaways. - For an ITU event, i would expect the distance to be correct. I cycled 43.6km and ran 11.3km. The bike course was very dangerous. I of the sharp turn had sand, stones and a hump on it. There were insufficiant aid stations on the run. The medal quality was poor and not even an event T or a cold towel at the finish. I expected more..... other events even include a carbo loading dinner.”

“Medal ribbon quality very poor and no race T-shirt - For 650 one would expect a little more regards to the medal and T-shirt (or lack of). The course was exceptional - even if the distances were a tad longer - went for the Bolt finish only to realize i had an extra K to do. A couple of distance markers would be helpful. All in all, was a great race but value for money - I don’t think so. ”

“Start very in late and no t-shirt in race pack - Mini run and kids duathlon start in late with more than 45 minutes! And they were very disapointed cause no t-shirt for them like the other kids...”