Stafford Triathlon Club has been awarded a “Women for Tri” grant from the IRONMAN Foundation to encourage and support local females to get active and increase sport participation.
The grant allows the club to develop a series of female-focused sessions, working with local partners and British Triathlon to run accessible sessions free of charge in Stafford.
Neil Sheppard, Chairman of Stafford Tri Club, said: “We are thrilled to be one of the only two triathlon clubs in the UK to receive the Women for Tri grant. The funding will allow us to focus more on female members with additional training sessions to enjoy the benefits that increased physical activity brings. We want to see more females take part in the triathlon, regardless of the distances, to enjoy this inclusive sport in a well-supported environment.”
The grant funded a series of coached swimming sessions- both open-water and pool and two open-water swim clinics at Cliff Lake, Tamworth, to introduce swimmers to the open water environment in a safe and controlled manner. The club also partnered with local swim school, Swimwell to provide weekly coached sessions. These sessions encouraged participants to swim in a supportive environment, experience a great sense of achievement and meet like-minded women.
Susan Medley, who took part in both swim sessions, said “The swim instructor put us at ease and told us what we were doing and why. She made it sound like it was pleasurable because she was so positive about it. The small setting also meant the group is very well-supported and we were given lots of useful tips. ”
The grant also funds several bike maintenance workshops to give confidence to more than 20 participants, knowing how to fix punctures and deal with unexpected bike incidents during rides. A series of beginner's and improver's rides are planned to help women feel more comfortable and knowledgeable about outdoor cycling.
Stafford Triathlon Club would like to encourage more women to get in touch and to start an active lifestyle with plenty of support in the local community.
