'˜Fun festival atmosphere' at Brighton and Hove Triathlon

On Saturday a series of children’s events will take place, with a scootathon along Hove Promenade.

On Sunday there will also be a children’s Triathlon for eight to 14-year-olds, followed by the adult races which start at 8.30am. Adults will take on a sea swim, a scenic cycle and flat run along the seafront.

Since its inception in 2016, the Sebamed Brighton and Hove Triathlon has doubled its numbers and continues to grow in popularity with athletes from Madrid, Guernsey and Glasgow taking part this year. The youngest competitor is three-years-old and the oldest is Daphne Belt who is 79.

Daphne, from Littlehampton, is an Ironman and ITU AG World Champion, and still intends to compete in the Sebamed Brighton and Hove Triathlon next weekend, despite breaking two bones in her left arm in a bike accident just over 10 weeks ago. She said: “I have just celebrated by 79th birthday, so if I can make a comeback then anybody can.”

Another inspiring participant is Brightonian David Delicata, who suffered from bouts of depression for several years before getting his life back through sport.

His dad passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2014, and his death re-triggered David’s depression and ill health.

He said: “I felt mentally and emotionally rough but I guess sometimes you have to be at your worst to figure out how to be at your best.”

Then, in August 2015, he decided to make a change and began training for the 2016 Brighton Marathon. He ran the marathon in memory of his dad, raising more than £1,000 for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

He signed up to the inaugural Sebamed Brighton and Hove Olympic Distance Triathlon in 2016, and completed it in three hours and eight minutes.

“Triathlon is full of camaraderie and I’ve made friends for life with the people I’ve met,” David said.

“The [Brighton] event was an easy choice. Being on home turf, I managed to rally plenty of family and friends down for support. It was a fun festival atmosphere with lots of stalls, races and things going on. The whole event was well organised, and felt accessible to athletes of all levels.”

The Brighton and Hove Triathlon was the brainchild of John Lunt, who was the Olympic Sports’ competition manager for Triathlon at London 2012. He wanted to create an event that showcased the sport in a vibrant and bustling city.

He said: “I am really proud of how the Sebamed Brighton and Hove Triathlon has grown over the past three years. It is testament to the popularity of the sport and our city that the Sebamed Brighton and Hove Triathlon has become part of the sporting fabric of Brighton and Hove and we are looking forward to seeing the return of many local people competing next weekend.”

For more information, visit: brightonandhovetriathlon.com