Sussex Triathlon Explosion…
RECESSION is nowhere to be seen when it comes to triathlon in Sussex. The Sussex Triathlon at Ardingly College is seeing massive growth in entry numbers this year.
Event Director Dan James said: “We are quite amazed by the growth rate of the race in such a gloomy economic climate. We have invested in the race and grown every year but in 2009 we have seen race entries explode. Demand for the race is at least twice what we experienced last year. I think people just want to get out on their bike or go running to escape the doom and gloom in the media. Maybe more people are worried about redundancy so are trying to get fitter for work?”
The event takes place at the beautiful surroundings of Ardingly College, West Sussex on Sunday 31st May and is now in its sixth year. The event is a sprint distance triathlon comprising a 500 metre swim, a 24 kilometre bike and a 5 kilometre run. The event has grown over the years and now includes a novice event, team relays, a swim/run event, disabled categories and even a free swim/run for children.
The race supports the Sussex-based charity St Peter & St James Hospice and fundraising is proving more popular than previous years. Dan James said: “We have seen an uptake in the amount of people raising sponsorship as well. This may be partly due to the fact that they can race for free if they raise just £150 as the charity will refund the entry fee. This is a win-win for the charity and the athlete. I think this is definitely adding to the popularity of the race in hard economic times.
“We also added a novice coaching package to the race this year which proved extremely popular. We provided the athletes with an orientation to the sport on site and guided them around the course they will race on in May. The amount of questions they asked was relentless and shows just how many new people are coming into the sport and how keen they are to absorb information.”
Category: Charity Events, Sporting Events
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Adam Parry is the editor for Event Industry News. If you would like to get in touch and learn more about Event Industry News email editor@eventindustrynews.co.uk.Subscribe
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