This month we take a look at our regions 2017 club of the year East Essex and find out what makes them special.
East Essex Triathlon Club (EETC) are a well established club and possibly one of the oldest UK triathlon clubs, having initially formed in 1981 as Courtlands Triathlon Club. They are one of the largest clubs within the East Region and boast one of the highest numbers of TE members within the club for our region.
They are an open and inclusive community club that welcomes all standards, ages and abilities into either their adult or children’s section. Their new members come at all levels through a number of routes including their GO TRI series of events.
Hosted four GO TRIs a year for the last four years and are hosting five GO TRIs for 2017. Existing club members provide excellent assistance with the newcomers which, to date, have been slightly more women than men.
A recent success has been that one of their 2016 GO TRI first timers became the organizer of their 2017 GO TRI series.
Basildon sporting village have been so impressed by EETC GO TRI’s that they now provide the pool and track free of charge for the GO TRIs as they see the value of attracting these newcomers into the sport.
In addition to the GO TRIs EETC host two children’s events and two adults events, which are always very well supported and feedback is excellent. EETC purchased their own chip timing equipment to support their events which they will also operate for other local clubs at their events.
The members of EETC are active on the race scene and the best attendance of all the regional clubs at 2017 East Region League fixtures. With 54 members entered in the European Middle distance championships of Ironman 70.3 Barcelona 70.3 in early 2018 team moral and cooperation is at an all-time. They have a weekly run session that enables junior members and adult members to run together which attracts up to 8- members.
Their connections with other local sporting clubs sees them hosting novice development sessions and local time trials with Southend Wheelers and participate in local running and cross country leagues with their local running clubs.
EETC also collaborate with local charities. One way they do that is through money raised at their Annual Awards dinner. For 2018 it is the premature baby charity Bliss.
Well done East Essex. Keep up the good work.
