Kilmore triathlon to attract 1,000 people to Erris Anton McNulty AN OLYMPIC standard triathlon which will take place in Blacksod next month is expected to attract nearly 300 competitors and organisers expect close to 1,000 people to visit the peninsula for the event. The triathlon, the first of its kind in Erris, will take place on September 20 and is being organised by the recently-formed Kilmore Triathlon Club. The triathlon consists of a 1,500m swim followed by a 40km bike ride and a 10km run, all of which will take place along the mullet peninsula. The Chairman of Kilmore Triathlon Club, Mr Brian Mac Suibhne, told The Mayo News that the club wanted to host an Olympic-standard race in order for the event to be part of the All-Ireland League in the future. He explained that the set-up on the day will be very professional with competitors equipped with timing chips for precise timing. He said they were expecting over 200 individual competitors to take part in the race and a further 50 relay teams. If this year is a success they hope to have an Olympic-standard and a shorter sprint race run over two days next year. Brian added that the triathlon is ideal for extending the tourist season in Erris and he hoped it would be a boost to tourism in the region. “This event is not purely about sport; I want to promote Kilmore and Erris and because this is taking place in September it is a great opportunity to extend the tourism season. There will be serious and not-so-serious competitors taking part and they are coming from all over the country as well as from places like Manchester and London. This will be great for the area because the evidence from other triathlon events is that for every participant, four will join them at the event. They will be renting houses and booking accommodation and it should be a big boost to the area,” he said. The Kilmore club, which currently has 14 members, was formed in 2007 to promote the sport of triathlon in the area. The club has been organising the event for over 12 months and Brian said it has been more difficult than they expected. To mark this inaugural event, the organisers are awarding specialised road bikes worth €1,000 each to the fastest finishing male and female athlete. Brian said they have got great support from the Broadhaven Bay Hotel but are still looking for a main sponsor. “Organising the event has been a nightmare but has been good fun. We have got some sponsorship from Mayo County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta but we need a lot more. Both TG4 and TV3 have expressed interest in filming the event but we are still looking for a main sponsor and that has to be organised soon. We have got assistance from different people and the help given by the Broadhaven Bay Hotel has been fantastic. However, the event would not be able to go ahead without the assistance of the Rural Social Scheme, who will be providing the marshals and laying out the route,” he said.
