Hyde Park, London, the chosen venue for the 2012 Olympic Triathlon, will once more host an ITU World Championship Series event this season and triathlon fans around the UK are being urged to sign up soon for the age-group races for the event which takes place on July 24 and 25.
"It's a unique experience because triathletes get the opportunity to race on the same course as the world's best as well as getting an early taste of what the venue will be like in 2012", said James Robinson, Commercial Director, Upsolut Sports UK Ltd, the company behind the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series.
"They'd laid out the blue carpet and shut the roads around Hyde Park just so that I (and 1200 others) could have a go", said Helen Gorman who entered the age-group event a year ago. "It was such a great weekend".
"Racing on closed roads is a real pleasure, let alone racing on closed roads around Hyde Park Corner!" she added.
Alistair Brownlee, the British sensation of the global racing scene last season and now the reigning ITU World Champion, won the inaugural Hyde Park event with Helen Jenkins, the UK's 2008 world champion, taking a bronze in the elite women's race. Both look set to be on the starting line in 2010 for the event that is supported as part of UK Sport's World Class Events programme and sponsored by Dextro Energy.
Marie Curie Cancer Care will once more be the charity partner for those who are seeking a good cause to motivate them through the miles in training.
"This year we've decided to split the elite races across two days", said Robinson. "So all triathletes will get the opportunity to race on the same course before watching the world's best in action. Places for all categories are being snapped up quickly. So I'd urge triathletes to get their entries in now".
Organisers also plan an extended event "Village" with spectator attractions and a marketplace for all the latest triathlon gear.
The Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series starts in April in Sydney and London is ideally placed with only Kitzbuehel between it and the Grand Final in Budapest in September. Athletes will be jostling for final positions in the run-in to the Grand Final.
Would-be entrants can sign up to participate in either the Sprint or Olympic distance races by visiting: London.Triathlon.org.
Upsolut Sports UK Ltd
Upsolut Sports UK Ltd, promoters and organisers of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship London is a subsidiary of Upsolut Events GmbH headquartered in Hamburg and is the leading organiser of endurance sports events in Germany. Upsolut specialises in the development, hosting and organisation of professional as well as amateur endurance events, i.e. cycling, swimming, running and triathlon. The company organises some of the world's largest events of its kind including the Vattenfall Cyclassics, Skoda Velothon Berlin and the Dextro Energy Triathlon in Hamburg, which in total host more than 45,000 participants. For more information visit: www.upsolut.de.
ITU
The International Triathlon Union is the world governing body for the Olympic sport of Triathlon and all related MultiSport disciplines: Duathlon, Aquathlon and Winter Triathlon. ITU was founded in 1989 at the first ITU Congress in Avignon, France and has maintained its headquarters in Vancouver, Canada since then. It now has over 120 affiliated National Federations around the world and is the youngest International Federation in the Olympics. Triathlon was awarded Olympic status in 1994. ITU is proudly committed to supporting the development of the sport worldwide through strong relationships with Continental and National Federations, working with its partners to offer a balanced Sport Development programme from grassroots to a high-performance level. For more information, visit: www.triathlon.org.
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British Triathlon
British Triathlon is the National Governing Body for Triathlon, Duathlon and Aquathlon in Great Britain, responsible for leading growth and performance of the sport and overarching British matters including relationships with the International Federation, the International Triathlon Union (ITU). Triathlon is a sport that is inclusive, empowering and life changing. A dynamic, attractive and exciting sport from youth to senior and Olympic level. Triathlon also provides opportunities for Paratriathletes and Age Group participation. British Triathlon aims to promote excellence in our sport, and create opportunities for everyone to achieve their personal triathlon challenges. For more information visit: www.britishtriathlon.org.
Visit London
Visit London is the official visitor organisation for London, working in partnership with the Mayor of London, the London Development Agency and the commercial sector. Visit London promotes the UK capital internationally, across Britain and to Londoners targeting leisure and business visitors. Visit London incorporates the Events for London team which is part of the capital's major events strategy to attract, develop and deliver major sporting and cultural events. Events for London is one of the first legacies of the London 2012 and Paralympic Games. For broadcast-standard video of London, please visit: www.thenewsmarket.com.
UK Sport
The Dextro Energy Triathlon World Championship London elite races have been part funded by UK Sport's National Lottery-funded World Class Events Programme, which working in partnership with national governing bodies, cities & regions and home country agencies aims to secure elite sporting events of strategic importance that deliver a range of lasting benefits to the UK. These include economic, social and cultural benefits as well as improving sporting performance by home athletes, encouraging participation and leaving a legacy of facilities and development initiatives. For more information, visit: www.uksport.gov.uk.
Marie Curie Cancer Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care provides free nursing care to patients with
terminal cancer and other illnesses in their own homes. Our network of
Marie Curie Nurses work through the night and day, 365 days a year and
care for more than 27,000 patients annually. All Money raised will allow
more Marie Curie Nurses to provide free care for terminally ill people
in their own homes. To get help from the Marie Curie Nursing Service, talk to your GP, district nurse or discharge nurse. For more information visit www.mariecurie.org.uk.
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