Two winter sporting competitions in the South of Israel

The Red and the Dead Seas host two important sports events this winter, each with varying degrees of difficulty: Israman, the country’s premier long-distance triathlon races held annually in Eilat (29.1.10) and the Ein Gedi Half Marathon, held on the shores of the Dead Sea (20.2.10).

Israman, the grueling Iron Man competition, has been a fixture on the extreme sports scene since 1999. The 2010 Israman and Half-Israman races will be held Jan. 29, 2010 in the coastal resort town of Eilat, Israel. The full Israman competition includes a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km bike ride followed by a 42.2 km run and, for those looking for a lesser but still formidable challenge, the Half Israman includes a 1.8 km swim, a 90 km bike ride and a 21.1 km run.

The swim portion of the course takes place in the warm and normally wave free waters of the Red Sea, where the water temperature in winter is about 20-22 degrees C. The cycling section of the course begins with a challenging 12 km climb to 700 meters in the Eilat mountains, followed by a plateau. The running section takes participants from the mountain top down into the city of Eilat. www.israman.co.il  

The 27th International Ein Gedi Marathon, in memory of Giora and Tomer Ron, will take place 20 February 2010 and offers a selection of races and activities for amateur athletes and their families. The races include a half-marathon race – one for runners and another for cyclists - a 10 km running and walking race and even a 2 km race for children (ages 6-14). All events start near Kibbutz Ein Gedi, following the road along the shores of the Dead Sea through to Masada and back again. All participants can enjoy free admission to the Ein Gedi spa after the event. www.deadsea-race.co.il

Both the Red and the Dead Sea are perfect locations for winter vacations, with warm winter sunshine virtually guaranteed in both places. Eilat on the Red Sea is Israel's premier resort, offering holidaymakers a wide variety of water sports and desert activities, and accommodation to suit every budget. The Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, offers unique health properties, from the mineral-rich Dead Sea mud and the salty waters to the bromine-rich air and filtered sunlight. Visitors to the area can choose to pamper themselves in the resort hotels, visit historical sites such as Masada and nature reserves such as Ein Gedi and Einot Zukim and indulge in desert tourism from hiking and biking to rappelling and jeep tours. The Dead Sea is a finalist in the online competition for the New 7 Wonders of Nature (vote at www.new7wonders.com)