The University of Nottingham to host the first ever triathlon aiming to raise money for dementia research

NOTTINGHAM, 4-3-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Nottingham is set to host the first ever triathlon to take place on its University Park Campus. Organised by students, the sprint triathlon will see staff, students and members of the public complete a 400m indoor swim, a 15km cycle and 5km run.

Entries are currently open for the Varsity Triathlon which is set to take place on Sunday 22 March. The event has been organised in association with the Nottingham Life Cycle 5 campaign, aiming to raise money for dementia research.

Ben Beranek is the president of the University’s triathlon club and co-director of the Varsity Triathlon. “The Triathlon Club is thrilled that our dream of hosting our very own triathlon is coming to fruition this March,” he said.

“We look forward to welcoming the general public as well as students, staff, and alumni from the University and Nottingham Trent University to our beautiful campus and challenging course. We’re also thrilled to partner with Life Cycle 5 in raising money for dementia research through this event.”

The Varsity Triathlon presents an ideal opportunity for any first time triathletes, boasting a closed course and traffic free roads, as well as allowing competitors the option to enter as a team. Seasoned athletes will also have the chance to excel in a Triathlon England recognised event that takes in the beautiful features of the University grounds, including Highfields Lake and the Downs wildflower meadow.

Professor Sir David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nottingham, said: “This is a magnificent landmark event for the University, made all the more impressive by the fact that it’s been organised by our students. The triathlon will be a fantastic day for competitors and spectators but most importantly will help to raise valuable funds in support of our Life Cycle 5 campaign in aid of dementia research.”

Organisation of the event has been partly funded by Cascade, a grants programme for student-led projects supported by donations from The University of Nottingham’s alumni and friends.

Dan Tilley, Director of Sport at the University, said: “We are excited to support our Triathlon Club to host our very first triathlon event on the University campus. The varsity competition will engage both students and members of the public in sport, and will hopefully inspire many to take the plunge and try out triathlon for the first time, whilst allowing our top level triathletes to excel in an event showcasing both our beautiful campus and our state-of-the-art sporting facilities.”

Registration for both general and charity entry is open now at http://www.nottsvarsitytri.com. There are four categories of entry fee:

General entry – £35

Charity entry – £25 (commitment to raise £75 for Life Cycle 5)

Team entry – £54

Charity team entry – £45 (commitment to raise £200 for Life Cycle 5

Story credits

More information is available from Ben Beranek, Varsity Triathlon co-director, on +44 (0)7429 509 699, benjamin.beranek@nottingham.ac.uk

Michael Munro – Student Communications Officer

Email: michael.munro@nottingham.ac.uk  Phone: +44 (0)115 82 32353  Location: University Park

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The University of Nottingham to host the first ever triathlon aiming to raise money for dementia research