>>> Blenheim Palace Triathlon 2015 – in pics

Next year’s Bloodwise Blenheim Palace Triathlon will be held on 4-5 June and entries go on sale to the general public on 3 September 2015. The iconic Oxfordshire event is set in the spectacular grounds of Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site renowned as the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. 

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Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research chose Bloodwise as its new name after listening and responding to the needs of patients. The charity says its new name better captures all the life-changing work now being done – its continuing world-class research, its expanding portfolio of patient support services, and its role speaking up on behalf of those affected by blood cancer.

Matt Lawley, Head of Sports Events at Bloodwise, said: “Over the past three years the Blenheim Palace Triathlon has helped to raise awareness of our charity and over £1.5million to beat blood cancers. Next year’s event will be an amazing opportunity to make people aware of our new name.”

Thanks to everyone who’s signed our Thunderclap so far. Together we will beat blood cancer: http://t.co/Cj8f5zwuVN pic.twitter.com/rRrkZAUxup

— Beat Blood Cancers (@beatbloodcancer) August 24, 2015

This year’s event saw more than 7,000 people race around the palace, with Chris Perham and India Lee winning the elite races last June as part of the British Super Series.

For next year’s Bloodline Blenheim Palace Triathlon, participants are encouraged to get 48 hr priority entry for 2016 now by registering their interest.

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Will you be racing at Blenheim Palace next year? Let us know in the comments below!

In the men’s rankings, 2014 champ Javier Gomez (ESP) managed to record a winning margin of 45 seconds for WTS Stockholm last weekend – the biggest gap for a WTS race in two years. It surely helped that neither Alistair nor Jonny Brownlee were racing though. 

This means that Gomez now has a career record of 34 WTS podiums from 46 race starts, and sits top of the 2015 leaderboard with 3820 points. His high-flying compatriot Mario Mola didn’t have such a good race in Stockholm, finishing 12th, but remains second on the leaderboard (3374pts). Fernando Alarza rounds out the top three (2961pts), thanks to a consistent run of results this season topped by silver in London.

France’s Vincent Luis sits in fourth position (2910pts), having grabbed gold at WTS Hamburg last month and racked up four podiums in total this year. South Africa’s Richard Murray is not far behind with 2857pts, though his best WTS result so far this season was bronze in Abu Dhabi.

And the Brits? Alistair and Jonny are in ninth and tenth at the moment, with just four points between them. Alistair made a strong start to the Rio 2016 test event earlier this month before being forced to slow down by an ankle injury, while Jonny remains out with a stress fracture picked up in St. Moritz. It’s not clear yet if either Brownlee will return to WTS racing this year.

Women’s rankings

Sarah True clearly enjoys Sweden – having grabbed the first WTS gold of her career in Stockholm last year, she repeated the feat over the weekend and strengthened her third place (3322pts) in the leaderboard rankings with just Edmonton and the Chicago Grand Final remaining.

With Gwen Jorgensen (4000pts) having won all six races she has started in 2015, True joins Britain’s Vicky Holland as the only other athlete to reach the top step of a WTS podium in 2015.

The USA’s Katie Zaferes continued her incredible run of second-place finishes in Stockholm, taking her fifth silver medal of the season last weekend, and currently sits in second position behind Jorgensen with 3700pts.

New Zealand’s Andrew Hewitt is in fourth position on the leaderboard with 3131pts, thanks to a consistent run of top-10 finishes that’s included bronze in Auckland and Stockholm. Rachel Klamer (NED) holds fifth position in the points race (2196pts), despite not reaching a WTS podium yet this year.

Non Stanford, Gwen Jorgensen and Vicky Holland racing at Rio 2016 test event

Vicky Holland is top-ranked Brits with 2126pts in sixth place, having won WTS Cape Town and taken silver in Hamburg. Resurgent fellow Brit Non Stanford is out of the title race with 1238pts, after being forced to miss a number of races due to injury, but thrilling performances in her last few races suggest the 2013 world champ is getting back to top form.

The next stop on the World Triathlon Series is Edmonton, Canada on September 6th over the Sprint distance, followed by the Grand Final in Chicago on 18-19 September. We’ll be in Chicago to bring you all the action live right here on 220triathlon.com. 

Columbia Threadneedle Rankings following ITU World Triathlon, Stockholm
Men 

1st – Javier Gomez Noya (ESP) 3820
2nd – Mario Mola (ESP) 3374
3rd – Fernando Alarza (ESP) 2961
4th – Vincent Luis (FRA) 2910
5th – Richard Murray (RSA) 2857
6th – Ryan Bailie (AUS) 2601
7th – Henri Schoeman (RSA) 2508
8th – Joao Pereira (POR) 2344
9th – Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 2340
10th – Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 2186

Biggest rankings mover: Eric Lagerstrom (USA) – from 103rd to 66th (254 points).

Women

1st – Gwen Jorgensen (USA) 4000
2nd – Katie Zaferes (USA) 3700
3rd – Sarah True (USA) 3322
4th – Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 3131
5th – Rachel Klamer (NED) 2196
6th – Vicky Holland (GBR) 2126
7th – Barbara Riveros (CHI) 2118
8th – Aileen Reid (IRL) 2078
9th – Flora Duffy (BER) 2009
10th – Rebecca Robisch (GER) 1929

Biggest rankings mover: Emma Jackson (AUS) – from 63rd to 40th (667 points).

The full Columbia Threadneedle Rankings can be accessed here.

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Are there any surprises left in this year’s WTS contest? Let us know in the comments!

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The news broke early this morning, and Wanda Group assumes Ironman’s existing – unspecified – debts from current owner Providence Equity Partners.

The finish chute at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii (Paul Phillips)

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Ironman CEO Andrew Messick said: “Wanda Group’s acquisition of Ironman marks another exciting chapter and opportunity for the future growth of Ironman after seven very successful years of ownership by Providence Equity Partners.

“Wanda Group is a global-minded organisation that shares our desire for excellence and continued growth, particularly in Asia. We are delighted to be part of the Wanda Group family of companies and are excited about the future of Ironman as we continue to provide life changing race experiences for athletes of all levels from their first step to the finish line.”

There’s certainly plenty of headroom for growth in the Far East – just 100 Chinese athletes have completed an Ironman race in the history of triathlon, a company spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.

Industry watcher Gary Roethenbaugh, founder of news source Triathlon Business, believes the acquisition represents a “major shift in gear” for the M-Dot brand.

“While it is understood that it will be business as usual for the Ironman team in Tampa, Florida – with Ironman now part of the rapidly expanding Wanda Group, we can expect to see a flurry of activity for Ironman and IM 70.3 in the Asia region in particular.”

During the announcement, Ironman also revealed it expects to generate revenues of $183m in 2015, and has increased revenue at a compound annual growth rate of 21% over the past four years.

More information and comment to follow… 

(Main image: Getty)

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>>> Is there any stopping ‘Caveman’ Conrad Stoltz?

“I’m pretty sure this it,” says the four-time Xterra world champ. “I don’t have regrets. I’m 41, I had a fantastic career, have lots of memories and have done a lot of neat stuff.” 

The most successful off-road triathlete ever, Stoltz has racked up 51 career championship wins (53 if you count Buffelspoort cross triathlon) and seven world titles, including four Xterra world titles and three ITU Cross Triathlon world titles. 

Stoltz says the best thing that ever happened was the birth of his baby girl Xena in the off-season. “She changed our lives in a huge way. Everything else pales in comparison now that we have this little bundle. My retirement means we can really spend a lot of time with her and we literally have her with us all the time. Being a Dad is indescribable. It’s awesome.”

Hugely respected for his fearless downhill skills, fierce competitive streak and warm demeanour, Stoltz will be hoping to bow out with a win at Vachery Estate in Surrey this weekend – he won last year’s event by nearly three minutes.

Over the past 15 years racing Xterra, The Caveman has become known as one of the most approachable and generous athletes in the sport – from signing autographs and providing simple words of advice to full-blown mentoring gigs and visiting sick kids at children’s hospitals.

#TBT The story of my first XTERRA: http://t.co/zOAwuM9Apo @XTERRAoffroad

— Conrad Stoltz (@ConradStoltz) August 27, 2015

And the secret to his longevity? His Dad said: “I once showed him a dung beetle that was trying to roll his ball of dung up a very steep incline. The ball kept rolling back, but the beetle kept retrieving the ball and pressing forward. I said to Conrad, ‘That’s how one should live one’s life. One never gives up.’”

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Can The Caveman make it one last win in Cranleigh? Let us know in the comments!

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>>> Ironman bought by China’s Dalian Wanda group for $650

No surprise really – it’s triathlon’s biggest corporate deal yet, and involves arguably the sport’s biggest player, a brand that has gone from a handful of endurance enthusiasts in Hawaii to a global business worth $650m.

So what do triathletes and other commentators think? Well some are (understandably) concerned this might lead to a rise in entry prices:

Others wonder if there will be a change at feed stations:

And Joe Richer hopes it doesn’t mean any changes for the famous finish line chute salute:

More than one reader thinks it’ll be ‘business as usual’:

Killian Long points out there’s still a long way for triathlon to go in China:

Tony Ball hopes the live coverage will benefit:

Finally, Tim Tansley says now might be the time to start investing in tattoo removal firms:

(Main image: Getty)

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>>> How to conquer any open-water challenge

The three siblings Jack, Calum and Robbie Hudson took nine days to complete the challenge and finished last Sunday (23 August) in the Solway Firth, just south of Whitehaven. 

It wasn’t all smiles though – middle brother Calum, 25, picked up an ear infection in the latter stages of the challenge and struggled. “I thought the hardest thing was getting up early and putting on a cold wetsuit. But then I got a really bad ear infection about two days ago. So I found out that the combination of earache and spending 10 hours a day in cold river water were my two least favourite things.”

Berlin-based eldest brother Robbie, 27, added that the swim had been “a challenge”. Youngest brother Jack, 23, said it was an “incredible achievement”. The three siblings were on home territory though – they grew up in the Cumbrian village of Langwathby, mere metres from the River Eden.

“From its bubbling source in the mountains of Mallerstang, through the steep gorges and cascades of Hell Gill, past our old family home at Langwathby, the deep sandstone ravines and rapids of Armathwaite, to the wide floodplains of Carlisle and out into the mud flats, estuary and sands of the Solway Firth and the Irish Sea, we swam, scrambled, crawled, walked, jumped, climbed and floated every single inch,” said the brothers afterwards.

Their exploits have already raised £2,200 for The Swimming Trust, and are aiming for a total of £2,500 (donate here). Every penny of the money raised will be put back into swimming through setting up a bursary scheme in Cumbria to help more swimming teachers gain their level 2 qualification.

Three key takeaways

For all 220 readers inspired by the Wild Swimming Brothers’ exploits, they offer three tips for planning your own river swim:

1. Trek to the source of a river, It’s fascinating, bizarre and will give you a totally different perspective on them. The Eden bubbles up from the ground at the top of a mountain, a deep dark hole belching up murky brown water which flowed through a deep soggy bog before cascading down a ravine, truly awesome!

2. Never underestimate the power of duct tape.

3. There are adventures to be had in the places you least expect.

“We would like to say HUGE thank you’s to every single person that has helped, supported, fed, advised, housed, donated, given us fresh milk, kayaked, swam with us and been part of this adventure,” say Robbie, Calum and Jack.

“We’d like to give a special thank you to James Silson who was alongside us every single mile, we couldn’t have done it without him, an honorary brother! Also David Ronton who kayaked five full days with us and kept us motivated and supplied us with whisky.

“Also our Dad Ralph Hudson who was a crucial support car, all round fixer and cartographer. Finally our Mum Tina Wild who appeared countless times out of nowhere to rescue us when we were at our lowest points and in dire need of food and support. Truly a team effort and something we will never forget!”

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Head to our Training section for lots more open-water swimming advice

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I suppose you can still include chasing a Double Gloucester down Cooper’s Hill, snorkelling a few bogs in Llanwrtyd Wells, and maybe even pulling on the oars in the lung-busting Varsity Boat Race, but to find a sport where the Corinthian ideals of amateurism still survive at the highest level is no easy task.

M-dot tattoos are just one example of the brand loyalty Ironman enjoys (image: iStockPhoto) 

Sport is now business. Big business. And in that respect, at least, you could say that Ironman is leading the way. In the USA, triathlon is Ironman, yet Ironman is also a for-profit private company – not a federation – as we are constantly reminded by countless examples of its revenue-optimising decisions.

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Even so, selling bathroom scales (‘body composition monitors’) and online coaching accreditation pale against the latest example of capitalist intent, this week’s sale to Chinese corporate behemoth Dalian Wanda Group for £650million plus a mopping up of debts. It marks the bumper return former owners Providence Equity Partners (PEP) were looking for, yet is little more than chump change to the fast-diversifying Wanda Group whose assets totalled $86.6billion last year.

Leading from the front

Already the world’s largest property developer and cinema chain operator, Wanda has shown a penchant for sport in 2015, picking up a stake in Spanish football side, the 2014 Champions League finalists Atlético Madrid, and Swiss sports marketing agency Infront, which holds the broadcast rights to the next two World Cups.

Whether the new boss, 60-year-old Wian Jianlin, will lead from the front and have a go himself as CEO Andrew Messick did remains to be seen, but given Jianlin spent 17 years in the People’s Liberation Army, I cannot imagine an Ironman holding too many fears. Whether it also paves the way for 50 professional women in Kona is perhaps more of a hot topic for discussion, and an anomaly where the new owners could score quick public relations success by rectifying.

Chrissie Wellington racing in Kona

On social forums there has been some agitation at the prospect of Far Eastern governance dragging premier long distance triathlon still further from its spiritual home in Hawaii. But this is a changing world. In our own capital city, foreign investment has stampeded at every opportunity.

Look around you. From Arsenal Football Club’s stadium to The ExCel convention centre in Docklands – home to the biggest triathlon in the world. Wanda itself is already financing a five-star hotel next to the Thames costing $1.1billion and has bought up a UK-based maker of luxury yachts used in Bond movies.

What do these examples have in common? First class service and a few quibbles over the price to the consumer… Pretty much on par with what the PEP version of Ironman delivered, then.

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose?

Ironman has changed hands for money before and the rumour mill was in overdrive with takeover talk, fed by Messick’s constant referencing of global growth as a carrot for suitors every time he stood behind a microphone. In the USA, the triathlon market is flatlining, in Western Europe and Australasia it is mature, but in the Far East, South America, Eastern Europe and even the Middle East – as we know from the stirrings in Bahrain – there is strong appetite. 

As these societies develop and become increasingly cash-rich and diet-poor, the bucket-list goal of Ironman looks a tempting prospect. Without rapid expansion it will take a few years to retrieve the initial investment, so expect more race choice in exotic locations that will see pasty Brits struggle with heat acclimatisation and become neurotic over the local cuisine.

Racing along Tenby harbour at Ironman Wales

For the average UK age-grouper, devoted to the backstreets of Bolton or the extended transitions of Tenby, it’s unlikely much will differ, at least in the short term. Perhaps the new owners will want to put down a marker, but when you have a brand that customers are prepared to tattoo on to their calves, it would be foolish to test that loyalty. Prices will be dictated by demand and even with Ironman’s aggressive business tactics there is no shortage of non-WTC events available to keep soaraway entry fees in check.

If you are of the calibre to line up in Hawaii though, you might find qualifying becoming a little trickier. With further expansion of the 250 or so races the Word Triathlon Corporation runs, it will be increasingly difficult to win a spot on the hallowed Kona pier.

(Main image: Paul Phillips)

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