Triathlon set for $65m boost as events organiser looks to expand in Middle East

An organiser of international triathlon events is looking for investors to expand the sport in the Middle East.

Supertri has been running successful competitions in Neom, Saudi Arabia, and believes there is strong potential for triathlon to take off in the region.

At Olympic level, triathlon involves a 1.5km swim, cycling 40km and then running 10km, and in the lronman event competitors swim 3.8km, cycle 180km and run the marathon distance of 42.2km. But shorter versions of the event have been introduced in recent years in a bid to popularise the sport.

Supertri combines an elite league featuring British Olympic champions Alistair and Jonny Brownlee and Alex Yee, as well as France’s Cassandre Beaugrand, with entry level mass-participation events.

There are currently two Middle East-based professional teams competing in the event, Bahrain Victorious and Crown Racing.

The organisation is now in talks to raise $65 million to acquire up to 50 additional events in the US, Europe and the Middle East. Half of that money is understood to already be assured with the remaining $30 million expected to be secured by September.

As well as the familiar format, there will also be an expansion of Supertri-E sport, which combines real life and virtual racing. Athletes swim in an Olympic-standard pool then switch to stationary bikes and self-powered treadmills positioned poolside.

The cycling and running segments are tracked and visualised using advanced platforms such as Dubai-based MyWhoosh, allowing both in-person and virtual spectators to follow the action in real time.

Supertri also wants to build a global community on a digital platform similar to the popular Strava app.

Jonny Brownlee, who owns a Supertri franchise team, described the new format as “shorter and sharper, with action and drama throughout”, which he believes can help to expand the sport.

“We need to inspire the next generation of triathletes and triathlon fans, and Supertri brings fresh thinking that makes the sport highly engaging and accessible to many people, both for fans and participants,” said Jonny, who won a gold medal in the mixed relay event at the Tokyo Olympics in 2022.

“It’s also a great way for me to race against the best in an exciting and competitive format that’s unlike anything else. I still want to test myself against the best in the world while I can still be competitive. Supertri is constantly innovating to make the sport better.”

He offered hope for the average competitor without his superhuman endurance who wants to take part in amateur events.

“You can be averagely fit and with a bit of training enter a By Supertri mass participation event – it’s much more accessible and enjoyable and fun,” he said.

Michael D’hulst, the co-founder of Supertri and its chief executive, said the company’s plans are “designed to inspire and engage new and existing triathletes alike”.

MyWhoosh was founded in 2019 by Akhtar Hashmi, a UAE-based entrepreneur who is chief executive of many technology companies.

In 2023, the company was granted the rights to organise the Esports World Championship by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for the next three years. It is also the official indoor cycling platform of the World Tour UAE Team Emirates and its rider, Tadej Pogacar.

Supertri has been operating in Saudi Arabia since 2019 and kicked off last year’s Neom Beach Games, which were covered by the Saudi Sports Channel and beIN Sports.

In 2023, viewing figures rose by 146 per cent, including a 66 per cent surge in live viewers, while Supertri’s annual YouTube viewership from the country has grown more than 6,000 per cent since 2022.

Participation in the Saudi Triathlon Federation events increased 24 per cent from 2022 to 2023.

Dr Dina Al Tayeb was the first Saudi female triathlete and also the first from the country to take part in the Ironman World Championship, in 2018 and 2019 in Hawaii.

She has competed in 18 full and 45 half Ironman events and more than 100 races in the past 20 years. She now plays a prominent role as a board member of the Saudi Arabia Triathlon Federation, overseeing the development of the women's section of the sport.

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