Having never been done before, this is an Australian Triathlon FIRST! Elite Energy is paving the way for a greener Triathlon community!
We’re implementing another green initiative starting with Forster Triathlon! Along with re-usable water bottles, cups and toggles, we’re encouraging less waste by re-using your own favourite swimming cap!
The reasons behind the concept.
For all competitive and fun swims, swim caps are mandatory and aid event organisers in sorting age groups etc, which is why swim caps have always been supplied. However, after most events we find a lot of supplied swim caps become waste, as most participants and competitors ultimately prefer using their own swim caps.
So with these two elements in mind – our participants preferring their own swim caps, and the aim of finding great ways to continue reducing our environmental footprint with each of our events – the brainchild of Mark “Emo” Emerton (CEO Elite Energy Events), we’ve decided the best move forward is instead of supplying what essentially become waste swim caps, participants can bring their own, so going forward they will have the opportunity to participate in their own favourite swim caps, and we won’t see the same environmental impact from waste swim caps ever again!
It is worth noting that if competitors and participants don’t have their own swim cap, or you forget to bring your own (as this is such a new concept, it’s completely understandable), we do have swim caps for sale upon registration and at the event. Important: For water safety reasons, swim caps are still compulsory for each event.
“We’re progressively looking for ways to continue looking after our planet, and in doing so we also want to look after notable charities that do such great work for our communities.” Says Emerton. To give back to the community, we’ll be donating a portion of the sale of all swim caps to charity.
So how will this work?
There will be an additional corral stage placed prior to the standard start sequence for each wave. What this means is participants will need to be acutely aware of what wave they’re placed in, and vigilantly listening for the call to enter the corral area and cross the timing pad, before being released into the water for their wave.
The first Elite Energy event to introduce this new concept is Forster Triathlon Festival (TriForster) on 19 October 2019. See the full Elite Energy race calendar here.
Hew Colless
Photo: Mali Maeder