Preparations are in full swing for the sixth year of the Waterways Ireland triAthlone, and registration is now open for the event happening on July 2.
In a bid to give Athlone and its traders a break from road closures and disturbances, Liam Heavin, event chairman, has said the event has been slightly downscaled this year. The Waterways Ireland triAthlone event will be an evening-only race with events kicking off at 3pm. The event is now recognised as one of the top 10 triathlon events in the world and has grown beyond all expectations since it began in 2005. The last six years have seen Athlone put firmly on the world sporting map, with the hosting of the European Triathlon Championships in 2010 proving to be a massive success for the town.
Liam Heavin has been keen to point out that the success of the event would not be possible without the support of such sponsors as Waterways Ireland, “For us as an organisation, it is fantastic to confirm that for a sixth consecutive year Waterways Ireland has dedicated their support to the event. Without the likes of Waterways Ireland, triAthlone would never have got off the ground”. Martin Dennany, Waterways Ireland director of marketing and communications, stated, “The Waterways Ireland triAthlone has achieved a huge amount for the economy, tourism, and recreation in Athlone, Westmeath, Roscommon, and the entire region.Waterways Ireland is delighted to have been part of its growth from strength to strength.”
General manager Emma Heavin discussed the importance of the general public and Athlone getting behind the event. “Waterways Ireland triAthlone has grown to be a truly magnificent event. We have really put Athlone on the map... and many of the international elite athletes spoke very highly of the warm welcome and encouragement they received last July.” Emma went on to say that the committee is sadly seeing two of its members step down, Rosemary Sheils, who was head of run and Ronan Keogh, the previous head of volunteers. Emma said these two “have given Waterways Ireland triAthlone a huge amount of their free time and played a major role in the success and growth of the event.We understand the huge amount of commitment it takes to be part of a voluntary committee and run an event such as this and we are grateful to one and all who have helped in the past and will help us going forward.”
To register online, for more information on the event, or to volunteer, see www.triathlone.com
