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Focus on ... Triathlon

From Pool to Pond, beginners are dipping their toes in the water 

Triathlon Scotland are using their award from the Scottish Government’s Women and Girls Fund to launch a new GO TRI programme, inspiring new female participants to take up the sport.

What is GO TRI?

GO TRI aims to provide triathlon beginners with the opportunity to take part in a short triathlon or a similar multi-sport activity at an entry-level cost.  

The new GO TRI project, Pool to Pond, will be aimed at increasing female participation in open-water swimming. The Pool to Pond programme is being produced in partnership with the British Triathlon SH2OUT project, ensuring that all participating open-water venues meet open-water activity standards.

Women & Girls Fund

Triathlon Scotland has received an additional £11,700 in funding from the Scottish Government’s Women and Girls Fund to run this new programme of GO TRI events. The project was chosen as one of 15 to share in the investment fund of £300,000.

The aim of the funding is to improve access to sport for women and girls who previously had little or no access to sport or physical activity for a wide variety of reasons.

Sports Minister, Joe FitzPatrick MSP, highlighted the importance of the fund.

He said: “There are so many benefits to making sport and physical activity a part of your daily life.

"From improving your physical and mental health to developing skills and strengthening your community, the impact can be life-changing and that’s why we want as many people as possible to enjoy those benefits.” 

Pool to Pond

Triathlon Scotland will be working with six clubs at open-water venues to create their new Pool to Pond sessions. The focus of these sessions will be inspiring women and girls to feel safe and confident swimming in open water, an essential aspect of fully enjoying a triathlon.

Calum Reid, Triathlon Scotland national development manager, said: “Clubs in Scotland do a fantastic job of welcoming people into our sport, and we are proud that 44% of club members in Scotland are female.

"We want to keep up this momentum, specifically in the open-water environment.” 

A wider impact

Triathlon Scotland have set aside part of the fund for digital storytelling in the hope the programme will have an impact beyond direct participation in the Pool to Pond sessions.

They hope that enabling participants to record and share their own stories and journeys will encourage future participation in the sport and inspire more people to take part in future GO TRI projects. 

Triathlon Scotland has also welcomed Cat Morrison MBE as ambassador for the project.  Cat is a multiple IRONMAN winner, Team Scotland member (2002, 2006) and ‘changing lives’ ambassador for sportscotland. 

Chief Executive Officer, Jane Moncrieff said:

“With her wide knowledge of the sport, and her experience of the social enterprise sector, gained since retiring we are really excited to work with Cat to grow the awareness of the project and we are delighted that she is on board to help us to change lives.”

 

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