Supertri Weekend Celebrates Sport and Community in Jersey

Jersey, CI - 15 September - Jersey embraced the Supertri spirit this weekend as sport brought the island together and inspired the athlete in everyone.

The Supertri Pro Series Final delivered a spectacular climax on Sunday 6 September, yet the weekend was about much more than elite racing, with opportunities for people across the community to experience the power of sport.

Making sport more accessible

As part of their growing partnership, UBS and Supertri joined forces to support Acorn’s Sports Kit Recycling Initiative, helping to make sport and physical activity more accessible across the island.

The scheme gives good-quality sports clothing and equipment a new life by selling it at affordable prices at Acorn, while helping to support the charity’s important work.

UBS and Supertri collected sports kit in the lead-up to the event and visited Acorn on Friday morning with athletes Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Hayden Wilde and Jersey’s own Siena Stephens. They dropped off the donations, met the team and found out more about the charity and how the initiative makes a difference.

Further donations were made later that evening during the Supertri Corporate Challenge, presented by UBS, where Jersey’s business community came together to take on a unique Supertri-inspired sporting challenge.

Embracing Jersey’s weekend of sport

Supertri also threw itself into Jersey’s wider weekend of endurance sport. It’s CEO and Co-Founder Michael D’hulst took on Swim Run Jersey alonside former Olympic triathlete, coach and commentator Tim Don. Meanwhile, athletes Annie Fuller, Zuzana Michaličková, Luke Willian and Michael Gar headed to Les Quennevais with other members of the team to join the local community at Parkrun.

On Sunday morning, Supertri commentators Tim Don, Annie Emmerson and Michal Bucek brought their infectious energy to the start line of the Hearty Half Marathon to hand out some extra encouragement for those taking on the challenge.

Michael D’hulst, CEO and Co-Founder of Supertri, said:

“What makes Jersey so special for Supertri is that the whole community gets involved. We love bringing the best athletes in the world here, but inspiring the athlete in everyone is just as important to us. The weekend showed how sport can bring people together. That community spirit is why we love coming back to Jersey.”

Inspiring the next generation

That spirit continued on Sunday morning as RBC Race for the Kids Jersey brought together multiple generations and people of all sporting abilities to walk, run, scoot or push prams around the Waterfront, while raising funds for Jersey Child Care Trust.

Jersey’s schools once again embraced the event by encouraging teachers, pupils and their families to take on the challenge in the hope of being crowned the Supertri Champion School. For the second year running, it was Victoria College Preparatory School who registered the highest number of participants to win the competition.

A selection of pupils collected the trophy on the Fan Zone stage from three-time Olympic medallist and Jersey crowd favourite Jonny Brownlee, following the announcement of his retirement from professional triathlon earlier in the weekend.

Pupils from the winning school were then invited to walk onto the course alongside the athletes ahead of the Supertri Pro Series Final. They were joined by members of Big Maggy’s Tristars, which develops Jersey’s young triathletes, including Jersey’s Supertri wildcard Siena Stephens. They were also given a dedicated area to watch the racing and cheer on the local star.

Dan Pateman, Headteacher of Victoria College Preparatory School, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that our boys have been named winners of the RBC Race for the Kids competition for the second year running. While winning is a fantastic achievement, what made Sunday's event truly special was the opportunity for our pupils to meet some incredible world-class triathletes and walk alongside them as they made their way to the start of the race.”

Pupil Toby Collins said:

“Meeting the triathletes was amazing. Walking with them and talking to them made me feel really inspired. Winning the competition was brilliant, but getting to be part of such a special day is something I'll never forget.”

Mr Pateman added:

“Events like these show children what can be achieved through commitment, perseverance and a positive attitude.”