Background:
Triathlon Ireland is the National Governing Body for triathlon, aquathlon and duathlon across the island of Ireland and is affiliated to the International Triathlon Union and the European Triathlon Union.
The first triathlon in Ireland was held in Skerries in 1983 and was won by Ciaran ‘Ben’ Brady, an accomplished runner who was offered a scholarship to the University of Wyoming in America a year later.
The Irish Triathlon Association was founded a year later in 1984.
Membership:
Membership of Triathlon Ireland has seen huge growth over the past few years raising from 800 in 2005 to 7364 in 2012. 2013 looks to be another bumper year for triathlon with expected membership of over 8150.
Number of Clubs:
80 affiliated clubs.
Number of Particpating Schools:
We currently have no registered schools however this is an area we will be focusing on over the coming years as there is a huge demand for schools triathlon.
2012 Highlights:
The London Olympics was a big highlight for Triathlon Ireland with the qualificantion of Aileen Reid in the women’s race and Gavin Noble in the men’s race. It was the first time Ireland have qualified two triathletes and the first time a male Irish triathlete had reached the Olympic Games. It was also a great showcase of our sport with hundreds of thousands lining the streets of London and tuning in on TV to watch.
Westport teenage, Con Doherty put on a brilliant display at the Junior World Championships in Auckland and claimed a bronze medal. The result was a major boast for the Junior programme and showed that Ireland can win medals in triathlon and the quality of athlete coming through the system.
2012 also saw the first ever running of a Paratriathlon National Championships in Ireland. With Paratriathlons inclusion in the Rio 2016 Olympics this marked an important step in it’s development in Ireland.
Along with the elite and paratriathlon aspects the level of participation, member numbers and affiliated clubs also continued to rise and this was a highlight for the organisation. 2012 also saw clubs around the country establishing junior sections which lays the foundations for future growth in this area.
2013 Highlights (so far):
Highlights of the 2013 season so far included the return to elite racing in Ireland when Athlone hosted an ETU Junior European Cup. Triathlon Ireland’s National Junior Squad topped it off, with Con Doherty beating off the best of Europe to win the Junior Men’s race. Chris Mintern claimed silver while Emma Sharkey took bronze in the Junior Women’s race.
In the senior ranks Bryan Keane made a return to top level racing after a serious accident and secured Ireland’s first ever World Cup podium when he got silver in Japan.
From a commertial view point Triathlon Ireland are delighed to welcome on board a number of great sponsors. Europcar Ireland have been appointed as the Offical Vehical partner providing fleet support for the many events staff, coaches and athletes attend around the country. Newly established Irish concept clothing company, Shadow have come onboard as the Official Kit supplier. Triathlon Ireland now has a range of top quality kit and clothing available for both elite athletes and age groupers alike.
Good4U have also teamed up with Triathlon Ireland with their healthy snacks and products available at Vodafone National Series races around the country and finally you will find the National Junior Squad sporting the most highly regarded wetsuits on the market form Zone3.
What are the key events to look forward to in 2013?
On the domestic circut the upcoming National Championship events should be a great spectacle with the Kinetica Olympic Distance Championships taking place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin on the 25th of August.
Internationally Ireland will be represented at the ITU World Championships in London with a team of some 400 age group athletes competing. Elite triathletes Aileen Reid and Bryan Keane will be hoping to be on the start pontoon for the elite men’s and women’s race.
Key events calendar:
Kinetica National Sprint Championships Athlone 6th July
ETU Junior European Cup Athlone 7th July
National Aquathlon Championsips (Senior & Youth) Galway 20th July
Youth National Triathlon Championships Loughrea 4th August
Kinetica Olympic Distance National Championships Dlublin 25th August
ITU World Championships (Elite, Para & Age Group) London 11–15 Sept
Vodafone National Series Nationwide Weekly
How can people get involved in ?
If you’re interested in training for a triathlon get in touch with your local triathlon club and tap into the knowledge and experience they have. Club are very accommodating and welcoming of new members and hold training sessions on a regular basis for members of all abilities.
You can find a full list of clubs and sanctioned races on www.triathlonireland.com. If you are interested completing a triathlon or joining a club there is also information on the various membership options (Full, Student, Junior or Non Racing) on the Triathlon Ireland website.
Social Media Channel Links:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/triathlonireland
Twitter – https://twitter.com/tri_ireland
Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/user/triathlonirelandngb
Vimeo – https://vimeo.com/triathlonireland
Any interesting facts or statistics for inclusion in our Fact File:
70:30 male: female ratio
Largest Age Group 35-39yrs
Fastest growing Age Group U18’s
55 top 10 finishes at Continental Cup, World Cup & World Triathlon Series Races (Jan 2010 – June 2013)
170 sanctioned races around the country
Triathlon distances
Try-a-Tri/Super Sprint: 250m swim, 6km bike, 3km run
Sprint: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
Standard/Olympic: 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Middle: 1900m swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run
Long: 3800m swim, 180km bike, 42.2km run
Aquathlon consists of a continuous, two-stage race involving swimming followed by running.
Duathlon is an athletic event that consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg.