Staff Update | January 2026

Welcome to 2026, and a fantastic year of swim, bike, run ahead.

Work on the 2026 Swim Bike Run Calendar is nearing completion, with final details being refined and a communications plan underway ahead of the planned launch at the end of the month.

TriHER continues to be a success, with only a few spaces left.

Meanwhile, Winter Grand Tour has reached its halfway stage. Scottish individuals and clubs remain firmly in contention for podium positions.

January has been a productive month for events at Triathlon Scotland. Engagement with Event Organisers has focused on supporting preparations for the season ahead, finalising the 2026 event calendar, and coordinating Technical Officials for the year.

Entries for the Schools Aquathlon are now open, generating strong early interest. In addition, work has continued on budget planning and site visits to potential new venues for future Swim Bike Run events. Overall, it has been a month full of planning, setting us up well for an exciting and busy season.

This month has centred on supporting clubs and preparing for the year ahead. Highlights include affiliating a new club, Tweed Triathlon Club, near the Borders, and reviewing the club affiliation process due to be shared with clubs shortly.

The first in‑person regional meet‑ups are scheduled to begin in February. The year’s first club‑led CPD session, an S&C workshop held in Haddington, successfully took place. Planning has also begun for upcoming specialist webinars and CPD opportunities to be announced in February.

Further work includes preparation for IRCs, conversations with coaches interested in supporting young athlete development, and supporting clubs exploring the addition of youth sections.

Meetings with Scottish Club Sport have explored potential support throughout 2026, while club engagement continues to grow, with visits scheduled to connect with clubs we have not yet met. Recent activity includes Newton Stewart’s committee meeting and an upcoming visit with Pentland Triathlon Club Juniors later this month.

Safeguarding and welfare continues to be a strong focus for Triathlon Scotland. Along with British Triathlon and the other Home Nations, the Welfare Officer webinar programme for 2026 has been finalised and will be announced shortly. Our first 2026 Welfare Officer newsletter will be sent early February.

The National Triathlon Centre athletes took the opportunity during January to head out to Spain and enjoy a consistent block of training. Training in a warm weather environment at this time of year brings a whole host of benefits for the athletes. It allows them to have more consistent training, avoiding those icy roads and sub-zero windchill. The warm, dry conditions also allow for higher quality training, an increase in training volume, and better technical work, all with the reduced risk of injury than in cold conditions.