Having been appointed to the role as regional chair in October’s Regional AGM, Claire Jenkinson will now also hold position of Non-Executive Director for the Eastern Regions on the Triathlon England Management Board.
“My role will be to represent the Eastern Regions and the council on the board,” Jenkinson said. “Acting as the voice of the member and ensuring the decisions that are made at the board make sense for the sport at all levels.
“I took up swim, bike, run in 2011 after being an average runner for many years. Like so many, I was hooked from the outset, and have now completed many events and encouraged quite a number of friends and family to take part.
“I am a typical grassroots athlete. I had to relearn to swim and I’d never really ridden a bike beforehand. I’ve surprised myself with what I’ve been able to achieve through this sport, even completing an iron distance triathlon, and I now want to give something back, add value from my business experience and help the sport to grow.”
The Triathlon England Management Board has collective oversight for the financial and operational direction of the organisation and sport of triathlon in England, with Jenkinson representing the members and affiliated organisations within the East, South East and London regions.
“When I moved from a long full time executive career in publishing, events and subscription businesses, I thought hard about what I really wanted to do next,” Jenkinson continued.
“My dream non-exec role was to join the board of Triathlon England. The sport means so much to me and I hope to be able to contribute to discussions around membership and events in particular, given my background.”
Jenkinson will carry on in her role as Chair of the East Region, which will see her provide a direct link between the regional base and national board.
“I’m working with the regional committee to plan for the future, prioritise initiatives and support the wider organisation’s aims,” she added.
“Having a role on the main board, I hope to be able to achieve a good two-way flow of communication, which will enable me to fulfil both roles effectively.
“As we come out of the current restrictions and take triathlon forward post-coronavirus, it will be so exciting to see the impact that my role and that of the board will have in getting back to the sport.
“When we get to the other side of the current coronavirus crisis, I’m most looking forward to getting out and meeting people in the sport, from members, coaches, clubs and event organisers, to hear how Triathlon England can do more for them.”
