Vodafone Ireland, in association with the Piranha Triathlon Club, has today announced a significant expansion of its support to Ireland’s fastest growing sport with title sponsorship of this year’s Dublin City Triathlon. The race takes place in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on 26 August 2012 in what is billed as Europe’s largest city park triathlon. It will attract over 900 triathletes and 1,600 spectators from across Ireland, with some also travelling from the UK and beyond. The event is already open for entries at www.dublincitytriathlon.com.
The partnership adds to Vodafone’s sponsorship of Triathlon Ireland, announced last year as the first major official sponsorship agreement secured by the umbrella body for the sport in Ireland.
Announcing the sponsorship of Dublin City Triathlon, Vodafone Ireland Business & Enterprise Director Anne O’Leary said that it is an opportunity to help further promote an event grown by the Piranha Triathlon Club over the last nine years into one of the sport’s premier annual fixtures.
O’Leary said, “We are very pleased to have been able to extend our support for the sport with this sponsorship of Dublin City Triathlon. Given the participation numbers, the Dublin City Triathlon is an event which illustrates just how far the sport has come over the past decade or so and shows it is far from just for the elite athlete.
“As a company, we have already been very much committed to the sport through our sponsorship of Triathlon Ireland and this partnership with Dublin City Triathlon enables us to help further spread awareness and widen participation in what is already the fastest growing sport in Ireland.”
Race Director John Wallnutt added, “Piranha Triathlon Club is delighted to announce that Vodafone Ireland has come on board as title sponsor. It is very exciting to have a strong national and international brand such as Vodafone involved. The support they are providing and the added profile the event will gain will be invaluable.”
The Vodafone Dublin City Triathlon comprises two races – the standard Olympic distance race (1,500m swim, 40K bike and 10K run) and the ‘super sprint’ (600m swim, 16K cycle and 4K run), aimed at less experienced triathletes. Entry is open to the public from 15 March.
“Organising the capital city’s triathlon requires the on-going commitment of sponsors and a wide range of volunteers. Without them the event simply would not happen,” Wallnutt added.
The first Dublin City Triathlon took place fifteen years ago and has been organised by Piranha Triathlon club for the past eight years. This year the organisers expect to see spectators grow even further with an increased awareness of the sport of triathlon across Ireland. The event is a Triathlon Ireland National Series race. The Vodafone National Series is a collection of the best organised and most established races on the Triathlon Ireland calendar.
Piranha Triathlon Club was in formed in 2001. The club was set up to bring together people who shared a common interest in multisport. Piranha’s goal is to help members (from beginners to advanced levels) reach their health, fitness and competitive goals through the sport of triathlon. The Dublin based club has over 180 members and includes a beginner triathlete programme to all new members.
Well known club members include three time Women’s National Champion Elena Maslova, and founding member, Anna Frankland – medallist at the 2004 European Triathlon Championships. Piranha Triathlon Club organises Dublin City Triathlon as a fundraiser to keep its membership fees low and to give back to its members and the community.
Piranha Triathlon Club also runs a charity race each year in Malahide Castle named the ‘John Davis Memorial Run’ which is a 5Km fun run organised to raise money for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.
Vodafone is Ireland’s leading total communications provider with 2.47 million customers across mobile, fixed line and DSL. As at 31 December 2011 Vodafone Ireland’s mobile telecoms base was 2.24 million.
www.dublincitytriathlon.com
www.vodafone.ie
www.piranhatri.com
