The British leg of the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series has been announced as being hosted in Sunderland, bringing elite swim, bike, run to a new part of the country.
Roker Beach will welcome the best triathletes from around the world as well as thousands of amateur participants over the weekend of 29-30 July 2023 for a festival of swim, bike, run.
The event takes place within the qualification window for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and will provide a home race for elite British triathletes as they seek to qualify for the Games.
As well as the elite racing, there will be participation opportunities for all to take part in swim, bike, run, with a mix of racing options available and taking place on much of the same course. Entries have opened with a priority window for British Triathlon Home Nation members through their member area, with general entries available later in the year.
The 2023 British Standard Distance Triathlon Championships and Age-Group Team Qualifier for the 2024 World Triathlon Standard Distance Championships will be hosted at the event in Sunderland as well as sprint and standard distance participation races.
For anyone new to triathlon, The BIG Swim Bike Run will provide an attainable opportunity to get involved, setting participants a 200m swim, 10km bike and 2.5km run. Helping anyone age 4+ to get involved, Swim Bike Run Mini is an opportunity for families to take part together and complete a 50m swim and 1km run as part of one of Britain’s premier triathlon events.
British Triathlon Home Nation members can enter now through their member area as part of a member priority window until Friday 7 October. Public entries will open from Saturday 8 October with a sale period during which a proportion of entry fees will be donated to The Bradley Lowery Foundation.
World Triathlon Championship Series Sunderland is the pinnacle moment in the calendar of events and activities being delivered in the city and community in 2023, with a number of opportunities to get active through swim, bike, run being offered for groups, organisations and individuals.
In August 2022, Roker Beach hosted the British Triathlon Super Series Grand Final which brought together up-and-coming youth, junior, senior and para athletes to compete at the venue which will host the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series event.
Britain has hosted a World Triathlon Championship Series race in Leeds since 2016, with six editions of the event being held in London before then.
Alistair Brownlee took gold in London in 2009 and Non Stanford became world champion four years later as the Grand Final took place in the capital in 2013.
Alistair and younger brother Jonny recorded a memorable one-two as the event moved to Leeds in 2016, with medal success continuing for Georgia Taylor-Brown, Alex Yee, Jess Learmonth, Sophie Coldwell and the mixed relay team in recent years.
More information about World Triathlon Championship Series Sunderland is available on the British Triathlon website here.
Andy Salmon, British Triathlon CEO, said: “Growing participation in swim, bike, run is at the heart of all we do at British Triathlon and the Home Nations, so to be able to bring the best triathletes in the world to a new destination in Britain is immensely exciting.
“As well as the elite races, World Triathlon Championship Series Sunderland will provide participation opportunities for all abilities to take part. I invite both our current community and anyone interested in giving swim, bike, run a go to join us in the city at this special event.
“We look forward to working with Sunderland City Council and building on our shared vision for swim, bike, run in Sunderland, as well as once again working with our partners at UK Sport and World Triathlon to bring this event to life next summer.”
Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Graeme Miller, said: “It's hugely exciting for Sunderland to host the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series and welcome some of the world’s best athletes to Roker seafront.
“The British Triathlon Super Series Grand Final took place in the city in August this year, and it was a fantastic action-packed weekend for both participants and spectators. Hosting the World Triathlon Championship Series next year will give the city’s residents a chance to see elite athletes in action or challenge themselves and take part in one of the brilliant Swim, Bike Run activities on offer in the run up to the main event.”
Esther Britten, UK Sport Head of Major Events said: “We are excited that thanks to the support of The National Lottery, the World Triathlon Championship Series will be staged in Sunderland for the first time.
“Communities across the north-east will have the opportunity to not only watch the world’s best triathletes but also to compete alongside them in the participation events and we look forward to working with the hosting partners to showcase Sunderland on the global sporting stage.”
(Images: Graham Beardsley/British Triathlon)
