We’re halfway through announcing the winners of this year’s Triathlon England Awards as we continue to highlight what makes our sport and community so great.
We’re focusing on the Engagement Award and Small Event of the Year Award, which were won by Jersey Tri Club and Animis Racing Team.
Engagement Award
The Triathlon England Engagement Award showcases the work of an individual or group that have made a remarkable contribution to the sport and engaged both active triathletes and the wider community.
It recognises those that have gone above and beyond to create a sense of community, motivation and support for those that they have worked with.
This year’s winner is Jersey Tri Club’s Try-A-Tri event.
The event which first began in 2016 as a revamped version of the club’s novice event, is an annual triathlon aimed at supporting people to enjoy the sport and get involved, many for the first time.
Part of the event, to ensure that participation is not just a one-off, sees the club offer training sessions for participants to bring them into the triathlon community and help grow their confidence ahead of completing the race.
For last year’s event, the club ran 71 training sessions in the 12-weeks leading up to the event which were funded by local charity, Jersey Community Foundation, to help reduce the financial barrier to participating. Sessions covered swimming, biking, and running as well as transition, bike maintenance and a course familiarisation.
On the day of the event, 49 people were on the start line with each of them completing the 400m sea-swim, 10km ride and a 2.5km run. In the seven years the event has been running only one person, out of 509, has not completed the race, something the club takes great pride in.
As well as opening up the sport to new people, the event also supports local causes by acting as a fundraiser. In 2023, participants raised £3,890 for Healing Waves, a charity which enables people with a neurological or physical disability to access the ocean in a safe way to participate in water sport activities. This takes the total fundraising to over £33,000 since 2016.
Supporting the community is ultimately what this event is about, whether that’s through fundraising or helping people become more active and involved in sport, and that’s what makes Jersey Tri Club’s Try-A-Tri event this year’s Triathlon England Engagement Award winner.
Small Event of the Year
The Triathlon England Small Event of the Year Award celebrates the achievements of triathlon events that have less than 200 participants, but still provide an excellent experience for participants of all abilities.
These events play a vital role in our sport, helping make it as accessible and inclusive as possible. They are a leading example of the values of triathlon and help create a sense of community and togetherness at all levels of the sport.
This year’s winner is Animis Racing Team’s Crowle Triathlon.
The event is a fantastic introduction for people wanting to try the sport for the first time, taking place across both sprint and super sprint distances.
The flat bike and run courses, coupled with a pool swim, also allow more experienced triathletes to take the course at a faster pace and chase a personal best.
Run by volunteers, the event is well managed and welcoming, offering people a great experience, especially those giving triathlon a go for the first time. The event gives participants an understanding of what triathlon is all about, epitomising why Crowle Triathlon is the Triathlon England Small Event of the Year.
To find an event near you click here.
