triAthlone 2012 to stick with one-day format
Next year's triAthlone is likely to be broadly similar to last July's event, taking place on one day only and attracting over 2,000 participants.
The annual staging of a triathlon in Athlone began in 2006 and the event grew in scale with each passing year until 2010, when the European Triathlon Championships were held in the town over the course of a July weekend.
This year's event wasn't as large as in 2010, but triAthlone CEO Liam Heavin stated that it was "still the biggest one-day triathlon in the country."
Road closures were necessary over a four-day period in 2010 but the restrictions last summer were less severe, and Mr Heavin told the Westmeath Independent the traffic management plan next year is likely to broadly similar to this year's.
"We have held our debriefing meetings with the council, the Gardai, the Army, Triathlon Ireland, and Waterways Ireland, to discuss this year's event," he said.
"The feedback was good, particularly in terms of the number of spectators that came out to watch the event. There was also very good feedback in relation to the town council's summer festival which took place on the same weekend.
"The feedback we got has indicated that a one-day event, starting on a Saturday afternoon, caused the least amount of disruption possible for an event of this size."
This year's triAthlone included the Irish Sprint Triathlon Championships but unlike previous years it did not feature an Elite race for professional athletes.
Mr Heavin is hopeful that next year will also bring an Irish championship race to the town, but a professional race "won't be possible for budgetary reasons, given the place the country is at economically."
He said he would be hopeful of attracting over 2,000 participants to the town in 2012, however the planning of the event is currently "hamstrung" because a calendar of triathlon events for next year has not yet been put together yet.
"Ideally we'd be looking at the first weekend of July, which would actually involve the event taking place on Saturday, June 30, but that date is very provisional at this stage."
Mr Heavin said there had been a positive response to the increased public consultation which took place ahead of triAthlone 2011 and he expects this process to be repeated for next year.
"We will be organising further meetings with traders and representatives of the local community when we have a more definite plan in place early in the new year," he said.
