Introducing TriGiving, harnessing a global triathlon intelligence to leave a local legacy

by Paula Kim on 08 Jul, 2011 06:19

This year’s African triathlon champions were crowned in Mozambique last weekend but a new International Triathlon Union initiative – TriGiving - hopes that the people of Maputo will be the long-term winners.

TriGiving is a unique ITU initiative, designed to bring together a global community of triathlon and multisport people with the desire to share and make use of their passions, talent, experience and ideas in fresh and creative ways. While the name implies a handover, it’s not about fundraising. Instead the programme aims to provide a platform for the triathlon family worldwide to donate time, skills, equipment and expertise to help leave a sporting legacy.

Put simply, TriGiving’s goal is not just bring an event to a place that otherwise might not be able to host one, but for triathlon to become a long term sporting option in that community.

“It is about providing a platform for the sharing of resources available within the ever growing and generous worldwide triathlon community – in order to assist those who can benefit most from them,” said Loreen Barnett, ITU Secretary General.  “This is an initiative that all within the sport of triathlon can contribute to and be proud of, while setting a standard that those outside the sport will want to emulate.”

The African championships in Mozambique was the start of TriGiving’s first official project, TriGiving Maputo, which is focused on helping this African city host the first All Africa Games triathlon event in September.  Instead of flying in experts who then fly straight out, the goal is that local people will be trained by triathlon experts in all aspects of triathlon event and technical management and create infrastructure so that Maputo can become a triathlon hub in the future.

So what can you do to help TriGiving Maputo? In addition to the key membership group, the ITU is looking for these specific people - equipment suppliers, media relations experts, volunteers to help set up venues for both events in Mozambique, school teachers who will help in educating and drawing people to triathlon, technical officials and those with a background in event construction. The easiest part is, as TriGiving is all about harnessing the global triathlon community to help, you don’t need to book that trip to Africa. Instead help us spread the message through the blog, join the facebook page or follow TriGiving on twitter.

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