Think triathlon is doomed? Think again
By Nan Kappeler
April 29, 2008 -- Just over a decade ago, triathlon races were folding up as quickly as homes were being repossessed across the country. Many thought triathlon’s shelf life had expired and the sport was a dying breed. But as the economy came back booming in the late 90’s, the multi-sport event resurged with a vengeance. The economy is once again slipping, but with triathlons continuing to grow, the sport shows no signs of repeating history.
The Eagleman Ironman 70.3 in Cambridge, Md. and the Westchester Triathlon in Westchester, N.Y. are just two examples proving the sport’s strength. This year’s Eagleman event sold out just weeks after registration went online with 2,200 applicants. Last month, the Olympic distance Westchester race filled 1,100 slots in just 37 minutes. Many credit hi-tech equipment, expanded race venues, expert coaches, the Internet, and the Olympics with taking participation to an all-time high.
Looking back, it was Julie Moss’ televised heroic crawl to the finish in the 1982 Hawaii Ironman that inspired thousands to join the sport. Races sprouted up across the country. Sponsors such as Bud Lite, Mazda, Met-Rx and Danskin were eager to jump on the bandwagon, pouring in money and marketing support to have their name associated with a race series.
Terry Davis, president of Tri California Events, Inc. and race director of the Wildflower Triathlon, recalls seeing a big surge in the mid-to late-80's, as a result of the sport getting going and people trying it out. “Around the country, triathletes were putting on races from their heart," said Davis.
Without the aid of power meters, lightweight gear, or a coach, Bob Kinney remembers the sport as being “very simple” – training with friends and attending low-key races with just 300 people that never sold out. “We learned from each other while trying to figure out the sport,” recalls Kinney, 54, who entered his first race in 1989. “I cycled with a group. If I got dropped today, my goal was not to get dropped tomorrow.”
But during the mid-90’s, Jonathan Pauley, owner of Renegade Racing and producer of many local Los Angeles running and triathlons says he noticed a change in the mentality of sponsors who suddenly were looking for ways to decrease their marketing budgets. “They suddenly felt there wasn’t a large enough return on their investment. Major sponsors left the sport and races folded.”
Several years passed and soon the economy began to turn around. People started to feel good about their financial wellbeing again and were soon returning to triathlons, eager to spend top-dollar to get to the finish line faster. New wicking fabrics had replaced heavy cotton, wetsuit had increased flotation and flexibility and more aerodynamic carbon fiber and titanium bikes dominated the market. The sport quickly came back to life.
With more race options offered, such as the sprint, half-Ironman, reverse order and pool-swim triathlons, more people began to try out the sport. Davis recalls that first Wildflower Triathlon had just one race distance and received 86 entries in contrast to the 2001 race, which was sold out by late-January and consisted of three races, including a mountain bike, Olympic distance and long-course race and exceeded the 5,000-participant mark, making it the largest race in California.
Introduction of the Internet helped to fuel the quickly growing sport. Event directors could now easily promote races and registrations. Triathletes-turned-coaches produced online training programs, resulting in a surge of training groups and teams. USAT began certification programs for coaches and multisport teams sprouted up across the nation. As more training options and guidance on to how to prepare for a triathlon sprung up, groves of first-timers entered the sport.
In 1999, the Leukemia Society noticed the fast-growing sport and the need for a training program for weary beginners, while raising money for Leukemia research. Sarah Pizzaruso, a Team in Training (TNT) director and manager of the triathlon teams in Orange County, Calif. said the TNT teams initially attracted women in their 30’s who were hesitant to try the sport, but now is almost evenly divided between the sexes. After completing their first race, Pizzaruso says approximately half go on to join local teams and enter more triathlons. Nationally, TNT currently has an estimated 40,000 alumni and has raised $120 million.
Pauley said even though the economy is slowing, he continues to see an increase in race registrations. He feels people are looking for a participatory sport and triathlons are far less expensive than skiing, or even going to a baseball game. “People have already bought their 5,000 bike when the economy was good, they don’t need to put any more money in other than the registration fee.”
With many races fielding over 1,000 racers on the course, Chris Elmore, publisher and owner of the triathlon web information site Tritopics.com feels the sheer number of athletes now in the sport will keep triathlon alive. “Even a 25% drop in a race of 1500 isn’t significant,” he said. He predicts many will do what he is already doing and scaling back on the number of races, focusing on higher profile races and purchase less new equipment.
Even with housing prices falling, unemployment rising, and critics again forecasting a slowing economy, races continue to sell out. But, with continued interest and support from participants and sponsors, along with the addition of the sport to the Olympic menu, triathlon for now-appears to be a survivor.
“Triathlons aren’t going to go away—too many people are addicted,” says Elmore.
Nan Kappeler is a freelance writer
who resides in Orange County, California. She is also the founder and
owner of Lickety-Split triathlon transition mats.
www.fasttransition.com.