EXCITEMENT BUILDS FOR UWTSD SWANSEA TRIATHLON
Swansea Triathlon 2019
Excitement is building ahead of the UWTSD Swansea Triathlon with staff and students in training for the event to be held in the city on 2 June.
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is continuing its partnership with Activity Wales Events (AWE) to provide opportunities for students from a range of disciplines to be actively involved in the preparation for one of the city’s premier sporting events. The students have also organised a range of events to provide support to the organising team of the triathlon on the day.
The UWTSD Swansea Triathlon is one of the leading one day, sprint distance triathlons in the country and is televised through AWE’s media partners Channel 4 and Eurosport. This unique event is held on the first Sunday in June and captures the unrivalled city centre buzz as well as the stunning coastal scenery along its diverse route which includes the University’s multi-million pound development at SA1 Swansea Waterfront.
The UWTSD Swansea Triathlon presents a fantastic opportunity for students across all UWTSD campuses to gain real-life work experience. Members of staff who have entered the sprint triathlon have been allocated a Personal Trainer from among the students of the School of Sport, Health and Outdoor Education who have designed and delivered training programmes to prepare their clients for the triathlon. The students are also so engaged by the challenge that a number have opted to take part in the triathlon alongside their clients.
UWTSD’s Geraint Forster, Programme Director of the BSc Sport and Exercise Science said: “The partnership with Activity Wales Events has provided fantastic opportunities for students to gain vital vocational experience in a real-life setting. Sport and Exercise Science students have the opportunity to train members of University staff who wish to participate in their first triathlon. This opportunity is linked to our Personal Training module and provides invaluable experience and insights into the profession.
“Previously Guto Morgans not only trained his client, Gruff Ifan, for the triathlon, but also continued as his Personal Trainer afterwards so that he could complete in other competitions. Guto has also competed in the European Triathlon Championship and will complete later this year in the ITU World Championship to be held in Lausanne, Switzerland as part of Team UK. Our work with Activity Wales Events is providing our students with so many experiences and it’s also opening many doors to other opportunities too”.
“The partnership with Activity Wales Events also provides research opportunities for staff as well as curriculum development in the areas of physical literacy, health and exercise which is part of the University’s strategy of collaborating with business and industry in order to provide tangible benefits to the student experience”.
In addition to Personal Training the University’s Sports Therapy students will be providing sports massage to competitors on the day and a team of Events Management students are organising an event for first-time sprint triathletes at The Village Hotel in early May to offer advice and guidance on preparing for the big day. They will also be helping to manage the swim stage at the Prince of Wales Dock.
Suzanne Wells, Programme Director for BA Events and Festivals Management said: “We are delighted to be working with Activity Wales Events this year on the delivery of the UWTSD Swansea Triathlon and on organising a new ‘first timers’ event to prepare participants for the big day! Our team of Events Management students are gaining interesting and relevant work experience with Activity Wales which will ultimately enhance their CV’s and employability skills”.
Matthew Evans, CEO of Activity Wales says, ” UWTSD is one of the leading delivery partners in the world of Sport, Health and Outdoor Education within Wales. The partnership has not only seen the University being able to deliver vocational experiences around the country’s leading sprint distance triathlon, but also for the event itself, Swansea as a city destination and the University to be broadcast to over 100 countries worldwide in a very unique television opportunity. Our team feel very privileged to be able to work with the students on a number of creative and innovative projects, none more so than the Country’s first first-timer conference, scheduled for early May.”
Professor Medwin Hughes, DL, Vice-Chancellor of UWTSD said: “The University is pleased to continue its support of the Swansea Triathlon. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a major sporting event in the heart of the city centre where we have campuses. This event enables the University to collaborate with a key partner to deliver tangible benefits to the student experience but also it enables us to support an event which aims to boost economic activity in Swansea by attracting competitors and visitors to the city.”