BMW Group Ireland has announced a major new partnership agreement with Triathlon Ireland that sees the brand become the sport’s main sponsor, as well as title sponsor of the BMW Triathlon National Series and the BMW Duathlon National Series.
The deal includes a substantial investment of €1,000,000 over the duration of the sponsorship, which will support the organisation to make the sports of Triathlon and Duathlon more accessible to people of all abilities and backgrounds in every part of the country.
Triathlon On The Rise
For more than a decade, triathlon has had one of the highest growth rates of any sport in Ireland with participation numbers more than quadrupling in this time. Triathlon already has one of the highest female participation rates in the country, at 35% and despite the perception as daunting high-performance sport, triathlon has evolved into an accessible, achievable challenge enjoyed by people of all abilities and ages.
Per (head of) capita, Ireland has the fifth highest participation rate in Triathlon of any country in the world, while this year alone, more than 70,000 people will participate or watch a triathlon event on the island of Ireland.
While Iron-distance events have captured the imagination of the public, much of the growth in participation rates for triathlon are down to youth and kids triathlon (which has witnessed a threefold increase in five years) and sprint or try-a-tri events, where participants get to complete a beginner-level triathlon in a safe and encouraging environment.
10,000 to Compete in the 2018 BMW Triathlon National Series
This summer, more than 10,000 people will compete in the BMW Triathlon National Series – a nationwide league of 17 races which take place around Ireland between May and September.
The vast majority of these people will be amateur participants. Men, women and teenagers seeking to challenge themselves and achieve something extraordinary. Competitors need to compete in four races to qualify for a ranking in the BMW National Series. A unique aspect of the competition is that competitors are ranked against other athletes of their same age group, with awards presented to the podium positions in these age groups at the end of the season. Last year the youngest competitor in the National Series was just 16 while the oldest raced in the men’s 70-74 years age group.
Speaking about the partnership Chris Kitchen CEO of Triathlon Ireland said: “Triathlon is one of the fastest growing sports in Ireland and has moved from a niche sport to a mainstream one with over 18,000 members and an ever-increasing reach. The relationship with BMW will provide significant extra income to help us grow and accelerate the development of the sport further. Both organisations are ambitious and goal focussed and the injection of additional funds and the value in kind will help enable us to not only achieve but exceed the aspirations within our Strategic Plan.”
For more information on how you can get involved in the sport of triathlon go to www.triathlonireland.com
