The first ever Brownlee Tri comes to the National Trust’s Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, near Ripon this weekend.
The Brownlee brothers, who competed in a nail-biting World Triathlon Grand Final last weekend in Hyde Park, are bringing the sport they have revolutionised to their home county, Yorkshire.
Alistair, who famously won gold at the 2012 London Olympics, and Jonny, runner up in this year’s ITU World Championship, will be joined by 1,000 competitors to celebrate this inaugural sell-out event.
The ‘Brownlee Tri’ will be taking place at the World Heritage Site this Saturday, 21 September. A super-sprint triathlon, it will start with a 400m swim in Studley Royal Lake, followed by a 10km bike ride through the medieval deer park before culminating in a 2.5km run. The run goes through Studley Royal water garden and the ruins of Fountains Abbey before finishing on the east green.
Gates will open to spectators at 8am with the first race getting underway at 9.30am.
Spectators will be able to enjoy the thrill of races taking place throughout the day, picking prime spots to enjoy the action. From Studley Royal Lake, the deer park and along the water garden and abbey ruins – there’ll be ample opportunity to take in the sounds and sights of the day.
There’ll also be an entertainment village by the finishing line which will include the country’s biggest static children’s triathlon activity zone. Other highlights include an army assault course and the Leeds Rhinos activity challenge.
Nearly a third of all entrants will be taking part in their first ever triathlon, a testament to the success of Britain’s fastest growing sport.
Jonny Brownlee, said:
We are so excited that the event is finally here. This has been a dream of ours and to have our first event as a sell-out is amazing. To see the age-range, number of first time triathletes and of course the number of people from Yorkshire taking part is exactly what we hoped for. We want more people to take up triathlon and to enjoy it in the same way we do.
Alistair Brownlee added:
Our season didn’t quite go the way we wanted it to, but that is sport. For us, ending the season at Fountains Abbey is a real positive and we can’t wait for Saturday.
Jan Bibby, Regional Director for the National Trust, said:
We’re delighted to be welcoming Alistair and Jonny, and all those taking part in the Brownlee Tri to Fountains Abbey this weekend. This event is one of many great outdoor experiences at National Trust places as we look to offer something different for our visitors to enjoy.
For more information about the watching the Brownlee Triathlon, visit www.brownleetriathlon.com and look out for updates through Twitter @Brownleetri or www.facebook.com/brownleetriathlon
