Seen as one of the country’s longest-standing multi-sport events, Le Fruit Off-Road Triathlon will return in its 14th version at Ho Tram Beach in the southern coast province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on May 30.

A foreign athlete faces a challenge in Le Fruit Triathlon.

Ho Tram’s pristine beach is about two hours from HCMC by car. The area is also home to an 11,000-hectare rainforest that was designated as a nature reserve in 1975.

Local and foreign competitors will swim in the sea, cycle towards the rainforest and run along the beach.

There is also a duathlon combining a 40-km mountain bike and a 10-km run. This is also the seventh consecutive year the organizers hold the only children off-road triathlon for local and foreign children and pupils aged between 6 and 12.

“When you take your racing off-road, as in Le Fruit triathlon, it is the course itself that dictates your pacing and energy expenditure. You need to dole your energy out carefully in order to yield your fastest time, but when and how this is done throughout the race becomes far more dynamic,” said Jean-Luc Voisin, the race’s director, in a statement.

Participants are encouraged to join a fund-raiser for victims of the earthquake in Nepal. The purpose of this charitable act is originated from Jean-Luc Voisin’s long friendship with a Nepalese friend, Chhongba, who is at the heart of the disaster in Taksindu Solukhumbu village. Chhongba had spent many years developing his village and building a school, and his efforts were thrown to the ground.

According to Jean-Luc Voisin, all net proceeds from the triathlon will be invested in Taksindu Solukhumbu Village’s reconstruction plan.

This year, the organizers, Le Fruit & Ta Lai, will also support notebooks and kitchen stuff to Mai Nha Children Foundation who works on childhood programs in Vietnam.

Le Fruit Triathlon, named after the natural juice Le Fruit, has pledged to become the “Greenest Triathlon”. The organizers have implemented green race initiatives from electronic registrations and beach cleaning. The Beach Cleaning Initiative started in 2002 with the first edition of Le Fruit Triathlon to provide clean and safe beaches for the next generation.

More information about the event can be found at http://lefruittriathlon.tumblr.com.