Giverola Resort on the Costa Brava in Spain has been unveiled as the new hotel partner of the Swiss Triathlon Federation. The Costa Brava is well-known for offering bike holidays – and with a ‘new world-class triathlon hub’ in the pipeline, Giverola Resort is looking to target endurance sports athletes with active sports holidays, cultural pursuits and tourism activities.
Thanks to Swiss Triathlon, Switzerland has evolved as a leading triathlon nation – with a number of high profile results at international competitions and iconic races across the country. Switzerland is also home to leading bike brands SCOTT and BMC, and fast-growing run shoe brand On.
At a national level, Swiss Triathlon is also particularly involved in promoting youth development and recreational sport. The governing body organises race series to that end.
Ferienverein in Switzerland offers sports, wellness and family holidays. It operates four hotels in the Swiss Alps and is expanding its activities on the Mediterranean. As Ferienverein offers destinations and training conditions tailored for triathletes, the new endurance sport tourism focus with Giverola Resort in Spain is seen as being perfect for all parties.
Starting in the spring of 2015, official Swiss Triathlon training camps will be held annually at the Giverola holiday resort.
Partnering with the Swiss Triathlon Federation, Ferienverein – Hotels Spa Sport notes that the choice of Giverola Resort on the Costa Brava as a host partner for triathlon training is an obvious one. Ferienverein points out that Giverola is in ‘a great location with lots of scenic beauty and has a versatile landscape that will test the skills of all triathletes.’
Official Swiss Triathlon Training Camps
The two official Swiss Triathlon Camps are organised by MY Sport, the official coaching partner of Swiss Triathlon (official age-group coaching). The camps offer structured training sessions that prepare athletes for an optimum season and give training ideas for the future.
The weekly schedule from MY Sport includes functional training activities in addition to training sessions for swimming, cycling and running. Each evening, the following day’s plan is explained thoroughly and the training focal points are set individually.
The training week is complemented by lectures and workshops about training structures, nutrition, mental training and gear-related information. All of the training sessions are led by a qualified trainer. The goal for athletes: ‘to be even more successful in the future.’ The first camp focuses on race season preparation for Olympic to medium distances. The Beginner’s Camp will be held in May for triathletes who are training for their first triathlon season or those who have relatively little experience.
“Giverola is a perfect destination for triathletes,” said Oliver Imfeld, Director of Swiss Triathlon. “In addition to training conditions, the surrounding landscape, hotel, food and relaxation opportunities are key factors in a training camp. Giverola is a winner in all these points. Swiss Triathlon is very pleased that our age-group athletes can benefit from this!”
Giverola – cosmopolitan, friendly, triathlete-focused resort
To encourage foreign triathletes to focus on training on the Costa Brava, Ferienverein, the leading Swiss hotel group for sports, wellness and family holidays is gearing up to build and expand upon its triathlon-friendly amenities.
“Ferienverein is characterised by its Swiss traditions and corresponding reliability,” said Jürg Moor, Head of Sales & Marketing.”Our style is authentic, informal and cosmopolitan while our standards of service and insistence on high quality reflect our Swiss roots.”
He added, “We look forward to hosting competitive athletes and beginners who want to discover triathlon for themselves.”
Under the umbrella brand Ferienverein – Hotels Spa Sport, Bern-based POSCOM Ferien Holding operates two large holiday resorts on the Mediterranean and four of its own hotels in Switzerland. These are located at prime locations on the Costa Brava and in Sardinia, as well as in Arosa, Crans-Montana, Sils-Maria and Wengen.
The holiday hotel services are complemented by the Bikeholiday and Fitholiday brands, which aim to provide ‘quality active holidays’. The individually-managed hotels further aim to guarantee personal hospitality coupled with a strong regional focus, and promise a relaxed holiday with family or friends.
On the Costa Brava, travelling triathletes will find a range of facilities and venues to enjoy their favourite sport and train for their next challenge. Whether athletes love triathlon or the single-sport disciplines of cycling, swimming, road or trail running – they can ‘come and enjoy first-class facilities, service and surroundings.’
Meeting triathlete’s needs all year round
The Swiss-managed Giverola Resort – ideal for families and sports enthusiasts – lies in the heart of a natural conservation area on a beautiful section of the Costa Brava coastline, directly on the sandy bay of ‘Cala Giverola’ and 5km from Tossa de Mar.
The emphasis is on relaxation and gentle entertainment. The studios and apartments are situated away from recreational areas in ‘peaceful two-storey units’.
The sports infrastructure at Giverola Resort on the Costa Brava and the surrounding coastal region should provide optimal conditions for triathletes. At Giverola Resort, for example, more than €200,000 was invested in sports facilities, including installing environmentally friendly heating in the pool, to provide triathletes and other athletes optimal training conditions in the off-season.
With these investments and a targeting of the affluent, active multisport athlete community across Europe, Ferienverein is aiming to fulfil the wishes and requirements of athletes, all of whom are seen as important guests for the Swiss active holiday provider.
www.giverola-resort.com
www.ferienverein.ch
www.swisstriathlon.ch
