Corus sponsorship has enabled British Triathlon to create a new series of Elite races ...
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| 13 Mar 2007 | |
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The launch of the Corus Elite Series, a three race series has been announced today. The series will be held around the country in Scotland, Wales and England and will be televised on Channel 4 as part of a summer series of triathlon. Scotland will enjoy the first race of the Series, to be held in Strathclyde Park, south of Glasgow, on May 27th, the proposed venue for the 2014 Commonwealth Games bid. The race will also play host to the National Sprint Triathlon Championships. The Series then moves to Bryn Bach Park in Wales, on June 9th. This event will also feature the National Standard Distance Triathlon Championship. London’s Hyde Park will play host to theevent on July 22nd the triathlon site of the 2012 Olympics. The event will see the debut of a new ‘eliminator’ super-sprint race format. Current Elite World Champion Tim Don and Under 23 World Champion Will Clarke are expected to lead the British contingency throughout the Series. The women’s competition will see British National Champion Helen Tucker’s return to racing in the UK, after a heel injury in late 2006. Team mate Vanessa Raw will also be flying the British flag against the World’s elite. The difficult Strathclyde Country Park course is certain to challenge competitors. The 750m swim begins with a pontoon start, followed by two laps of the Loch. The 20km undulating bike stage will test participants and take in the scenic surroundings of the Park. Athletes will then transition into a hilly 5km run to race to the finish. The event will also play host to the National Sprint Triathlon Championships and be held in conjunction with a major Age Group race. The Bryn Bach Park race begins with a 1500m swim in Bryn Bach Lake, followed by a tough 40km bike leg. Competitors will finish with a flat 10km run around the perimeter of the lake. This picturesque location will allow the athletes to test themselves on the challenging rural course. The race will also double up as the National Standard Distance Triathlon Championships. The super-sprint format in Hyde Park will see both the men's and women's races be contested over two heats, with the top 20 from each preliminary round entering the final showdown. The 300m swim will start in the Serpentine before the athletes exit for the 7km bike leg, consisting of two 3.5km laps of the Park, will be a flat, high speed course for the competitors. To provide a super-charged finish for spectators, the 2km run will be a double 1km loop, finishing opposite the Lido. [View map] All three events will give elite and developing British athletes the chance to compete against an international field. Extended highlights of the three races in the Corus Elite Series will be broadcast on Channel 4 as part of a summer series of triathlon programming. With Great Britain enjoying great success in the sport internationally, the package offers a great opportunity for UK audiences to experience exciting racing, and will further the dynamic growth of the sport. British Triathlon President, Sarah Springman, said: ‘With the Corus Elite Series taking place in all three Home Nations, and being televised on Sundays on Channel 4, we hope that this fantastic opportunity to showcase the sport of triathlon will see increased viewing figures and interest levels across Great Britain. Triathlon is a truly exciting and dynamic sport; and the Corus Elite Series will see Britain’s best male & female triathletes taking on some of the world’s leading international athletes in their own back yard.’ Chairman of Corus, Jim Leng, said: ‘It's less than a year since we launched our sponsorship of British Triathlon in Hyde Park and I'm delighted that we will shortly be back in the Park, swimming, cycling and running. We see the Corus commitment to triathlon, the fastest growing sport in the UK, as our contribution in bringing business and sport together in a creative and imaginative way, building a healthier workforce in our businesses and in the communities where we operate. At the same time our contribution should help in securing further successes at championships around the world.’
For further information see www.corustriathlon.com or call: Pitch PR, Steph Hudson British Triathlon, Peter Holmes
About British Triathlon The British Triathlon Federation is the National Governing Body for triathlon, the UK’s fastest growing sport. At elite level Great Britain boasts a strong squad of world ranked triathletes and duathletes who regularly achieve international success, and has some outstanding young talent emerging from its youth programmes. Since becoming an Olympic sport in 2000, British Triathlon has seen large annual membership increases and now totals over 12,000 members throughout its Home Nation Associations. There are over 500 triathlon events conducted in Great Britain each year including the London Triathlon, the largest triathlon event in the World; and the BG Triathlon World Cup race in Salford, one of the leading international events. About Corus Corus Group Plc (LSE/AEX: CS; NYSE: CGA) is one of the world’s leading steel producers with annual turnover of over £9 billion and major operating facilities in the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway and Belgium. Corus’ divisions comprising Strip Products, Long Products, Distribution & Building Systems and Aluminium provide innovative solutions to the construction, automotive, rail, general engineering and packaging markets worldwide. Corus has 41,200 employees in over 40 countries and sales offices and service centres worldwide. Corus is British Triathlon’s premier commercial sponsor. This sports sponsorship is a first for both Corus and British Triathlon and demonstrates Corus’ commitment to developing Great Britain’s triathlon talent and to investing in the sport’s longer-term legacy through support of grassroots initiatives. At grassroots level, Corus will support a number of community-based initiatives including nationwide programmes to develop triathlon for school age children through ‘Corus Kids of Steel’ and for athletes with a disability at a community level. Corus’ sponsorship will go towards helping British Triathlon in all aspects of the sport, with the aim of developing strong future athletes at all levels through to the Elite. Triathlon, which first became an Olympic sport in 2000, is already the UK’s fastest growing sport.
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