Triathlon has been selected by Live Borders as a new target sport for the Scottish Borders region due to its potential to attract participants of differing ages.
The target sports framework operates on a three year cycle and involves consulting with every Scottish sport governing body to identify the sports with the greatest potential to attract greater participation in the Scottish Borders. For 2016 – 2019 the selected sports are cycling, football, hockey, rugby, swimming, tennis and for the first time, triathlon has been added to the list.
Live Borders is the new identity for Borders Sport and Leisure introduced to reflect the organisation’s remit to provide sport, leisure and cultural services across the Scottish Borders. Live Borders is a social enterprise and charitable trust.
Live Borders will utilise the increasing popularity of its annual Borders Triathlon Series as a vehicle to help to promote and encourage participation in the sport.
The 2016 series will feature events in six locations: Eyemouth, Galashiels, Hawick, Kelso, Peebles and Selkirk . It kicked off in Galashiels on 17 April and attracted over 125 competitors aged from their teens to sixties.
Ewan Jackson, Chief Executive of Live Borders said “We are delighted to announce triathlon as one of our new target sports. Our triathlon series is well established and known both locally and nationally. It is now time to work with our partners to enhance the infrastructure and provide as many training opportunities as possible to enable people to learn and enjoy the sport, no matter what age they are.”
Jane Moncrieff, Chief Executive of Triathlon Scotland added “Triathlon Scotland is delighted to be added to Live Borders’ target sport programme. One of our big aims is to encourage triathlon participation in the widest possible audience across Scotland.
“This focus in the Scottish Borders will allow us to develop the well-established Border Series Triathlons and encourage many more people to just give it a go. It’s an exciting development and we are looking forward to working more closely with our Borders colleagues over the next few years.”
