Multisport events across England are allowed to take place, however it’s been a long journey to get the 2020 season going for event organisers.
“We usually have a busy calendar of events,” commented Luke Shipway, Event Director at LPS Events. “There was a lot of uncertainty because we didn’t know if or when we would be able to resume events in 2020.
“Throughout the suspension we took the opportunity to pause and review our event portfolio and processes, which is something we wouldn’t usually get the chance to do fully because we spend the winter getting ready for the following summer.”
The lifting of the restrictions and suspension on hosting swim, bike, run events was welcome news for Shipway and the company when the announcement was made in July.
“Quite frankly, we may not have survived for next year if we couldn’t get events up and running this year,” he said. “We put all the necessary Covid-19 Secure measures in place to make sure that the event took place safely because the safety of our participants is crucial.
“We had around 30 entries for the Cotswolds End of Season Triathlon when lockdown hit and we closed entries, but, within 48 hours of reopening them, we sold out. We anticipated the 300 entries would go quickly, but not that quickly.”
This early sell out was useful to LPS Events financially, but also aided them in planning and running a safe event.
“To have all the data on how many people would come and who was really useful,” Shipway added. “Getting messages out early and consistently around changes to the event village and site, not having spectators and the format changes was so important to helping participants know what to expect and do on the day.”
Training is key for participants to get ready for race day, and it was the same for Shipway and the team in the build up to the event.
“With the venue being privately owned, we were able to do a mock set up,” Shipway commented. “One of the main things we tested was the more spaced out transition to see what it looked and felt like ahead of race day.
“The event itself went exactly as planned, with no issues around setting up or running with the Covid-19 Secure measures and really good feedback from participants.”
Reviews from the event on RaceCheck have been overwhelmingly positive towards Shipway and his team, with participants commenting on how the measures put in place around the event made their race experience safe and enjoyable.
“The flow of people and social distancing around the site worked really well,” added Shipway. “With signage, pre-race information and an on-site helpdesk, we managed to get clear information across to participants surrounding the event.
“The helpdesk is definitely something we’re looking to take forwards because it worked really well, and we found that the time-trial format worked really well, so is another thing we may look to take forwards as well.”
Cotswolds End of Season Triathlon was issued with a British Triathlon event permit, meaning their safety documentation and Covid-19 Secure measures met the required standards. You can find similar upcoming events on the British Triathlon Event Search.
Photo credit: Charles Whitton
