CEO Update | September 2025

As we’re based in the sports centre at the University of Stirling there is a real buzz on campus as students return for the start of the new academic year and also because of the success of athletes from the National Triathlon Centre (NTC). Alex Robin selected for GB junior team, Millie Breese selected for GB U23 for the World Championships in Australia and whilst he isn’t Scottish Tom Williamson who trains at the Centre will represent Ireland in the Para PTS5 category. Isla Hedley secured bronze in the short course 2025 Xterra World Championships…what a month! I haven’t finished…The NTC is a partnership between ourselves and the University of Stirling. In addition Cam Main had continued success on the 70.3 circuit with victory in Knokke-Heist and Beth Potter securing two wins in two races in Karlovy Vary and Weihai to go joint top in the WTCS. WOW!!!!!!!

As we near the close of the race season here in Scotland I’ve been reflecting on what an amazing country we live and race in. In the last two weeks I’ve been at Aviemore and Badaguish for the Scottish National Cross Championships delivered by Paul McGreal and the team at Durty Events and watching the mist lift off Loch Morlich was truly stunning and how the temperature rose from two degrees at 0630 when I was on site to bright and sunny at race start. It was so pleasing to see the hands go up when Paul asked at the briefings how many people were doing their first ever triathlon, the question I was asking myself and everyone else involved I the sport is how do we make them feel welcomed to our great community and keep them coming back? There were also plenty of familiar faces either racing, coaching or cheering on from the sides which is always great to see.

Then just this weekend I was at Floors Castle for the TriWorks Duathlon. I was fortunate to be on the start line last year and it is a truly beautiful place to race and I will admit to a pang of jealousy when I heard the countdown music start and the racers moving to the start line. Great job by Duncan and the team!

As part of my reflection, I look at how people are racing across the country, as this provides a real barometer of the health of the sport. More people are racing on 2025 in Scotland than in 2024 with race starts to the end of August up 2.61% on previous year Jan – end of August, 6479 race starts. It got me thinking about how many of my pals who run, cycle or swim can I get to the start line in 2026, it is so much more fun going to a race with pals, and I’ve challenged myself to make that happen in 2026….that and hopefully racing more often in 2026.

This weekend also saw the Ryder Cup taking place and its acted as merely a warm-up to a much bigger event taking place in 5 days time in Llandudno. On Saturday Team Tri Scotland will be represented by 46 age-group athletes in the Celtic Cup versus Wales. When the kit arrived into the office this week and I saw the Trisuit for the first time it did make the hairs or my arms stand up, it looked even better than it did on screen. I’ll be down on the sea front in Llandudno cheering on the team, if you see me please come and help me make as much noise to power on our team as possible.

The team recently held a Swim Bike Run mini duathlon day in Linlithgow. There were lots of highlights from the day and I can’t list them all here but the standouts were:

• 115 people attending, many for the very first time
• 64 of those on the start-line were family groups (a child with a parent or guardian)
• Many thanks to the following clubs who supported the delivery of the vent and were present on the day – Glasgow Triathlon Club, Perth Triathlon Club, Grangemouth Triathlon Club and TriWorks.
• The power of word of mouth in attracting people to sign-up.

To find out more about Swim Bike Run (SBR) programme then follow this link to the dedicated pages on our website, they will also explain the support we can provide in organising an event.

I’m going to finish with a thank you to all those who have organised a race this season, those that have made it to a startline, the coaches who get us to do one more set or one more length, the Technical Officials who are there to help us race, the unseen people in clubs and communities who support us through our sport. You all make our sport the great community that it is.

Now to find races for 2026…the New Year’s Day race organised by John Whittaker and the team is only 3 months away and entries are open. You know you’re tempted, bring a friend!

Steve