Tata Steel, one of the world’s top-ten steel producers, has signed up as the Presenting Partner for the 2010 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship London. The event, which takes place at London’s Hyde Park on 24- 25 July, will now be known as the ‘Dextro Energy Triathlon London Presented by Tata Steel’.
Tata, through Corus’s corporate partnership with British Triathlon, already has strong ties with the sport and the Dextro Energy Triathlon in London is seen as the perfect extension.
“Triathlon is a fast growing, dynamic and modern Olympic sport and the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship London is an innovative and important addition to the sport’s global calendar,” said Kirby Adams, Managing Director and CEO, Tata Steel Europe.
“We have a track record in industry for collaborative growth and this sponsorship is a perfect fit. We hope to continue to help this exciting sport grow in the UK through a major event, which offers global coverage.”
“We are delighted to have brought Tata Steel into the family for the 2010 event,” said James Robinson, Commercial Director of event organiser Upsolut Sports UK. “Their support will prove invaluable and, as a new but significant event, the tie-in with a global business name is important for us.”
Zara Hyde Peters, CEO of British Triathlon, added, “When Corus as our BOA-FTSE partner worked with British Triathlon on the project to bring the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championships Series to London, little did we realise that they would become so engaged that their parent company would sign up as the presenting partner.
“We are excited to have our corporate partner working to support such a great shop window for our sport and look forward to providing the perfect stage for our world class athletes, coaches and support staff.”
The 2010 event will see the women’s elite race, junior and youth aquathlon, paratriathlon plus the age-group Sprint Distance events staged on Saturday 24 July, with the men’s elite race and age-group Olympic Distance races on Sunday 25 July.
The event will be broadcast live on the BBC, with a 52-minute highlights show on Channel 4 and British Eurosport, as well as reaching a global audience through international broadcast partners. The event is also set to attract thousands of spectators to one of the capital’s iconic venues.
Many of the world’s leading triathletes are expected to race at the 2010 Dextro Energy Triathlon London presented by Tata Steel, as they compete for points in the lead up to the Grand Final in Budapest in September.
Top British triathletes are also already vying for the eight spaces available to the host nation.
World Champion Alistair Brownlee has missed the season’s two opening events through injury but came back in style in Madrid at the weekend to win en route to London.
Brownlee said recently, “The Dextro Energy Triathlon, London, is hugely important to me. With the Olympic Games coming at the same venue, this is the one to win.
“It’s also great to lay down a marker in front of the home fans and London will be more crucial this year,” he added, referring to his injury-enforced absence from the early series events.
He continued, “The Hyde Park triathlon is a really important event to me and to the sport of triathlon. It’s a big showcase for us.”
