Triathlon Business International (TBI), the industry organization dedicated to promoting the sport and the business of triathlon, announced its award winners at the TBI/ACTIVE Network Awards Celebration dinner last night as part of TBI’s 5th annual conference in Marina del Rey, California.
Awards were given to: the Top 10 Multisport Retailers, the ‘Triathlete’s Choice’ Best-of Events, the best published triathlon article and picture, and the Ron Smith Award winner.
Ron Smith Award – The award, named after Ron Smith, one of triathlon’s earliest pioneers, recognizes a person in the multisport world who helps advance and promote the sport of triathlon, who is a true influencer and who exemplifies a passion for advancing and promoting the sport. TBI’s Ron Smith award winner for 2015 is International Triathlon Union (ITU) President Marisol Casado.
Marisol Casado – Ron Smith Award Winner (background)
Marisol Casado has been President of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) since 2008, when she was elected at the ITU Congress in her hometown of Madrid, Spain. Casado is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), elected in February 2010 as the first representative from triathlon to serve on the IOC.
She also is one of the founding members of the Spanish Triathlon Federation and currently serves as a Vice President of that Federation. She served as Secretary General of the Spanish Triathlon Federation (1989–1994 and 1997–2008) and as ITU Treasurer from 1992–1994 and from 2000–2008. Marisol was also involved with the formation of the Mediterranean Triathlon Federation and Iberoamerican Triathlon Association.
She was a member of the Coordination Commission for the 2nd Youth Olympic Summer Games in Nanjing 2014, and is a Council Member of the ASOIF, the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations.
Representing ASOIF, she was nominated Co-Chair of the International Sport Coaching Framework Project Group in 2011 and since 2013 she has been a SportAccord Council Member. Since 2014 she joined the IOC Women and Sport Commission and the IOC Radio and TV Commission. She also has been included in the Good Governance and Autonomy Olympic Agenda 2020 Working Group.
Casado served as President of the Women and Sport Commission for the Spanish Olympic Committee from 1992–1994 and from 2000-2009. A former President of the European Triathlon Union (ETU), made up of 41 federations, from 2002 to 2008, she received the gold medal award, ‘Real Orden del Merito Deportivo Español’, for her service to sport and the Olympic Order of the Spanish National Olympic Committee.
Best Triathlon Published Article and Image in 2014:
- (Photo) IRONMAN Kona, women’s age groupers start by Rocky Arroyo, Endurapix, published in Lumina Magazine (Japan)
- (Article) ‘Does Not Play Well with Others’ by Brad Culp, LAVA Magazine, September 2014
Top 10 Retailers for 2014 — The Top 10/Top 50 retailer list was compiled by Slowtwitch.com publisher Dan Empfield through a voting process that is weighted 80% on suppliers’ votes (run, bike, component/accessory, wetsuit and apparel manufacturers and/or distributors) and 20% on consumer votes, specifically the Slowtwitch.com readers.
To be considered, the retailer must have a brick and mortar presence.
Top 10 Retailers for 2014:
- Trisports.com, Tucson, AZ
- Gear West Bike and Triathlon, Long Lake, MN
- All3Sports, Atlanta, GA
- Nytro Multisport, Encinitas, CA
- Austin Tri Cyclist, Austin, TX
- R&A Cycles, Brooklyn, NY
- T3 Multisport, Indianapolis, IN
- Moment Cycle Sport, San Diego, CA
- Athletes Lounge, Portland, OR
- Speedy Reedy, Seattle, WA
‘Triathletes Choice’ Best-of Events of 2014 – Nominations were made by triathletes from around the world through an online survey. More than 2,700 votes were received in the following six categories, with the winners as follows:
- Large event (1,000+) = IRONMAN Lake Placid
- Small event (less than 1,000) = Pumpkinman Triathlon, South Berwick, Maine
- Toughest = IRONMAN 70.3 St. George, Utah
- Urban = New York City Triathlon
- For Beginners = Pumpkinman Triathlon, South Berwick, Maine
- Scenic = Challenge Wanaka in New Zealand
All winners and the Top 10 retailers were presented with specially-designed crystal awards from TBI corporate partner Ashworth Awards.
The TBI Conference continues through to lunchtime on Tuesday 27 January and provides wide-ranging and timely information and discussion for everyone involved in the business and sport of triathlon, and the related sports of cycling and running.
business of triathlon. Founded by a coalition of industry leaders, Triathlon Business International advocates for the interests of triathlon businesses, provides educational and informative programs, and encourages increased participation in the sport.
