Christmas is over and it’s time to dust those cobwebs off the bike in preparation for an action-packed 2015.
Before any competitive action even takes place, Triathlon England will be appearing at a number of Triathlon shows across the country- kicking off with Triathlon Show: London in February. The Membership team will be on hand to share the wealth of benefits that come with being a Triathlon England Member. More exclusive benefits will be added this year including the launch of triconnect, our exciting new athlete profiling tool – watch this space!
Come March, the season gets underway and first stop will be Nottingham. The Clumber Park Duathlon, which will double as the British Age-Group Duathlon Championships, takes place on the 21 of the month and will be the first outing for our athletes following a winter of hard training.
Duathlon exploits continue soon after with the Triathlon England - National Cross Duathlon Championships in Kent. The picturesque Hole Park will play host to the championships just four months after the 2014 Cross Duathlon winners were crowned in Nottinghamshire.
A national participation weekend, named ‘The GO TRI 1000’ will take over the country on April 25 and 26. These dedicated two days will see 1000 people making their triathlon debuts and help launch GO TRI – Triathlon England’s new low-cost, short-distance events offer.
Fast forward to May and the age-groupers are at it again, this time in an attempt to qualify for the 2015 ITU and 2016 ETU Sprint Triathlon Championships. The British Age-Group Sprint Distance Championships in St Neots, Cambridgeshire will be a date not to miss on many athletes’ calendars and so is sure to witness some nail-biting head-to-heads early on in the season.
The same month welcomes the Triathlon England - National Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships. The Speedy Beaver at Belvoir Castle in the heart of the East Midlands has been selected to stage the event which should prove to be another action packed day of sprint competition.
Finishing May, the masses will gather in Hyde Park for the Vitality World Triathlon London. Yet again it will be a spectacle of elite triathlon and paratriathlon along with mass participation action, making it one certainly not to miss.
As the temperature rises, the competition only continues to heat up. Come June there are two further Triathlon England - National Championships, beginning with the standard distance event in Grosvenor Park, Chester hosted by the Deva Triathlon. Again doubling up as the 2015 ITU and 2016 ETU Standard Distance Qualifier, it’s guaranteed to bring excitement along with it.
Those more inclined to surpass the Olympic distance will lie in wait for the Triathlon England - Middle Distance Triathlon Championships. Held at Grafham Water, this will see June go out with a bang.
On a British level, the British Age-Group Middle Distance Triathlon Championships occur the same month. Travel to north Wales and the Bala Triathlon is taking place at the lakeside town.
Throughout the summer, Triathlon England will continue to support numerous mass-participation events including the Tri Pink women only triathlon series; always attended and supported highly. And as summer begins to reach its peak, Gyllyngvase Beach offers a Cornish backdrop for the Triathlon England - National Aquathlon Championships; taking place July 12.
Further into 2015 and always a popular event on the triathlon calendar is the British Triathlon Under 20’s Festival. Now in its third year, it showcases action from our youth athletes and also acts as the British Triathlon Inter Regional Championships. The date of this event is to be confirmed.
A little later in the month and it’s time for the Triathlon England- National Club Relay Championships. Known to be a highlight on the Triathlon England calendar, it will reign in competitors from far and wide as they battle it out for the coveted team and club titles.
As the season begins to unwind, there’s no stopping our athletes as European action lands on home shores with Challenge Weymouth UK. The event will play host to the 2015 ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Championships in September, which is sure to be a key date on our Great Britain Age-Group Team Calendar.
2015 will end with a fantastic crescendo as the ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final takes us oversees to Chicago. Alongside our elite going for gold, this is the opportunity for our age-group athletes to vie for the title of World Champion and will top off a fantastic year of competition.
What a year! We can’t wait to get started.
