THE BIGGEST TRANSITION
Triathlon is used to adapting. When your origins stem from melding three sports, there are always going to be kinks to smooth out. Right now, though, tri faces its biggest transition – and in our socially distanced new world, that’s meant in every sense. Covid-19 has lanced few other industries more perniciously than hospitality and events, and while how tri returns will be examined domestically here, and internationally next issue, first lies the question of whether we should be back at all.
“Can we deliver events safely with social distancing measures in place?” asks James Robinson, the chief commercial officer of Limelight Sports that licences and runs the London Triathlon, Blenheim Triathlon and London Duathlon, and welcomes upwards of 25,000 athletes on an annual basis. “We’re constantly revising our plans. It’s fine saying we could deliver a safe event, but if the consumer confidence isn’t there, nobody will come anyway. It’d be remiss if we were seen to be putting commercial interest above public safety. We have to reach out to our consumers and ask.”
Gary Roethenbaugh, founder of MultiSport Research, is monitoring that appetite, and his latest figures revealed a cautious outlook: 17% of those polled aimed to race as soon as restrictions were lifted; 26% believed the autumn would be possible. In a snap social
