A very tough endurance sport for people with a lot of free time. Triathlon had to contend with this image for a long time, but the sport in Flanders has been growing strongly for a few years now. Triathlon has all the assets to appeal to a large audience: varied, accessible and challenging at every level.
“Everything shows that our sport is on a growth curve,” says Simon Plasschaertgeneral manager at Triathlon Flanders (3VL), enthusiastic. “Member numbers have been rising for five years now, with an average annual increase of 14% since 2021. We see a slightly larger increase in women than in men.”
“There will be as many “recreational” members as competitive members. Although that distinction is not absolute, because recreational players also participate in competitions. I am sure that more and more competitions are being organized.”
Plasschaert expects the positive trend to continue in 2023; “After more than 10 years, another Ironman event is coming to Flanders (Ironman 70.3 in Knokke-Heist) and finds it European Championship half distance in Menen Place. Two top events that will undoubtedly inspire a lot of athletes.”
The iconic image of the super athlete
The triathlete is often considered a kind of superman, combining three endurance sports almost effortlessly. “That heroism attracts many athletes, but it deters others,” Plasschaert realizes.
“That iconic image also exists through the long distance (3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, 42 km run), which usually involves attention. But triathlon has a much wider range of disciplines. There is something for everyone. .”
“And you don’t have to practice all three disciplines. For many people swimming in open water is a barrier, but that shouldn’t stop them. Anyone who practices two of the three sports is welcome to join our federation or a triathlon club.”
Most of the attention goes to the long distance, but triathlon has a much wider range of disciplines.
Triathlon does indeed offer more variety than you might think. Most competitions focus on these four distances: the sprint (= 1/8e), of quarter-, of halve (“70.3”) and the full triathlon.
“Sprint and quarter triathlons are most often found on the calendar.” Plasschaert has a logical explanation for this: “You can easily do several short-distance competitions in a year. If you go to longer work, you have to limit the number of competitions. That is why there are slightly less long distances on the competition calendar.”
“There are other formulas such as the “111” (1 km swim, 100 km bike and 10 km walk), different distances in duathlon And you can also do all this off-road. Then we talk about cross duathlon and cross triathlon.”
But it doesn’t stop there. There is also aquatlon (running, swimming, running), swimbike (swimming, cycling) and swimming running (swimming, running).
Ironman 70.3, next year also in Knokke-Heist.
A sport for all ages
Is the cliché image of a group of male forties who go through endless workouts together? “Of course not!” Plasschaert laughs. “The slightly later entry age is characteristic of endurance sports. Most of our new members are between 20 and 30 years old.”
According to Simon Plasschaert, the idea that triathlon is too hard for young athletes is also not correct: “There is no minimum age. The combination of the three sports ensures that you get a broad education, which just reduces the chance of injuries and overload. Young people also like variety and have different options with triathlon to develop themselves.”
The 3VL youth cup makes young people enthusiastic about triathlon:
No time is no excuse
Can such a time-consuming sport be combined with a busy professional and family life? Simon Plasschaert also wants to get rid of that prejudice: “It is a misconception that you have to train a huge number of hours to do a triathlon.”
“Everything depends, of course, on your own ambitions and on which distance you focus. Anyone who sometimes jumps on a bike at the weekend and puts on the running shoes during the week can already join a duathlon. Do you also have a basic swimming level – at preferably crawl – then you can try a triathlon.”
“The great thing about the sport is that you can build variation in your preparation. No problem to exchange a long bike ride for a swim training in bad weather or to go for a walk if you don’t have much time. Every training is useful.”
It is a misconception that you have to train a lot of hours to do a triathlon. Everything depends on your own ambitions and which distance you focus on.
An Ironman on your bucket list?
The concept of “Ironman” captures the imagination of many people. How did that happen? “Partly because of history, but also because Ironmancompetitions are at a different level, including from an organizational point of view.”
“It is a commercial circuit with a hefty price tag, but an extra layer of experience is added to those events. You feel like a hero when you cross the finish line. No wonder an Ironman is at the top of the bucket list of triathletes.”
One downside, according to Plasschaert, is the large field of participants: “If you choose an Ironman as your first triathlon race, the large crowd can cause a lot of stress. It is more difficult to swim, the transition zones are much larger…”
“That is why as a starting competitive athlete it is better to opt for a shorter format on the calendar. This way you get to know the competition procedure and you can estimate whether triathlon competitions are your thing.”
Drumming at the start of the Ironman in Nice
Tips for beginning triathletes
- Got fancy? Triathlon Flanders organizes many introductory activities such as supervised open water swimming, cycling sessions on the Zolder circuit, Start to triathlon…
- It autumn is an ideal time to get in and slowly build up to spring competitions. Most clubs start their operation now. You can also join the federation directly.
- Borrow material from an acquaintance before you buy it yourself. You don’t need to have the most expensive or most recent equipment to enter a competition.
- Sports responsibly and set realistic ambitions. You do triathlon at your own level. Don’t be tempted by the speed of others. Everyone comes to the finish line with applause.
- Look for enthusiasts in your area or at a club. Their tips and experiences will give you confidence for your first match. Watch a match beforehand.
- Do not register immediately for an Ironman or long distance but opt for a quarter or sprint triathlon nearby. On the competition calendar of 3VL you can search for the ideal competition with a few parameters.
