World Triathlon is pleased to
announce that the Organising Committee of AJ Bell 2022 World Triathlon
Championship Series Leeds has been awarded with the Gold Certification of Sustainability
by World Triathlon, for efforts and measures implemented throughout the event
to contribute toward sustainability.
Two years ago, World Triathlon
decided to implement the Sustainability Guidelines for event organisers as a
tool to give the organising committees the means to initiate or continue their
transition towards social and environmental responsibility. Taking this
guidance on board, WTCS Leeds has become the first-ever World Triathlon event
to achieve the Gold Certification. This shows the true commitment of everyone
involved in the organisation of the event to the future, not only of our sport
but also the future of the planet. This is a first step and efforts will need
to be sustained in the future.
Sustainability is a central component
for British Triathlon, with the national governing body for swim, bike, run in
Britain establishing a Sustainability Commission to determine a sustainability
framework for the sport domestically. AJ Bell 2022 World Triathlon Championship
Series Leeds is a key part of the governing body’s operations, showing their
commitment to a sustainable future for the sport.
“It is a great pleasure to see how
the WTCS Leeds team has implemented sustainability into various areas of
delivery and, whilst a number of them will be unseen by participants and
spectators, there are a few that everyone will notice and be able to contribute
towards”, said Marisol Casado, IOC member and World Triathlon President.
“Our organisation is fully committed
to reducing the impact that our events have, and we have worked in the last few
years to implement many sustainability measures within the organisation. To see
now an event as important as Leeds taking all these measures on board is
extremely rewarding for us all. We have been working with all our stakeholders,
especially with event organisers, to implement sustainable measures across all
areas of the events: governance, staffing, site & infrastructure,
accommodation, procurement, mobility, energy, catering, waste management, water
management, biodiversity, healthy lifestyle, merchandising, raising awareness,
communication… and the efforts done by the Leeds LOC have overachieved our
goals. Our most sincere congratulations to everyone involved in this”, she
said.
Andy Salmon, British Triathlon CEO,
said: “Sustainability is incredibly important to us at British Triathlon and
we’re taking steps to ensuring that we, as an organisation and a sport, are
operating and delivering activity sustainably.
“To be presented with the Gold
Certification of Sustainability from World Triathlon shows the commitment we
have put in place to ensuring the events we organise are delivered in a
sustainable way, and is a great marker as we build towards sharing our
sustainability framework later this year. My thanks go to the organising
committee for ensuring sustainability is a central consideration in the
decision making and planning for what is set to be another stellar event.”
Non Stanford, elite British
triathlete and athlete representative on the World Triathlon Environmental
Sustainability Commission, said: “Sustainability is a major area within the
world of international sport and sporting events and I’m really excited that AJ
Bell 2022 World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds has been awarded with Gold
Level Certification.
“It’s the first event to receive the
award and represents all the hard work that the organising committee have put
into hosting a world class event in a sustainable way. For the British leg of
the World Triathlon Championship Series to get this recognition is also
something I’m personally delighted about, especially with it being in my home
city.”
The WTCS Leeds’ organising team has
been busy weaving sustainability into all areas of delivery and, whilst a
number of them will be unseen by participants and spectators, there are a few
that will be noticed.
This year will see 2021 built upon
as, once again, the medals are made from wood that is from FSC certified
forests in South Wales and the finisher gift is a specially designed pair of
socks made from recycled plastic. FSC certified forests are managed in a way
that preserves biological diversity, with the wood harvested in a sustainable
way to promote forest ecology.
Sticking with the recycled theme,
merchandise from the event will be available that is made using recycled
plastics, with further items made with sustainable organic cotton also on
offer.
All the merchandise comes in the
unique AJ Bell 2022 World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds design, giving
you a memento of your weekend that’s good for you and good for the planet.
How can you get involved in helping
make the event sustainable?
The event brings thousands of
participants, spectators, and volunteers from across the country to Leeds for
the weekend. With many people making their way to the city, why not check out
who from your club or local area you can car share with when travelling to
Leeds and when getting around once you’re here.
We’re also excited to be working with
the University of Leeds to provide a kit donation service, through which your
old and unwanted kit can be gifted to communities in South Africa.
The University of Leeds is looking
for cycling clothing in good condition (bib shorts, jerseys and gloves
especially) to help support their successful Bambisanani project.
The project uses sport to inspire and
motivate students. Staff and students from the University have close
connections with the project where they deliver sports leadership training,
academic lessons and deliver sport in local primary schools and orphanages.
Merchandise from the event that
remains unsold beyond the sale period will be donated to the project, with
merchandise from previous British Triathlon events also being donated.
When you’re on site you’ll see plenty
of bins dotted around. These are for all waste that you have, with the bins
being taken away and the contents divided into recyclable and non-recyclable
materials by Leeds City Council. The non-recyclable waste is then formed into
waste-derived fuel rather than put into landfill.
There will also be further
sustainable changes to the finish area and racing experience to reduce plastic
usage and waste. The cups from aid stations will be recycled or made from
biodegradable materials, whilst the finish line water will be supplied in
sustainably sourced cartons made from SC Certified paperboard and Bonsucro
Certified sugarcane caps.
And most importantly. This is the
first step of the journey, we all need to sustain the effort in the future so
that the environmental impact of the event can be minimized.
ABOUT WORLD TRIATHLON
World Triathlon is the international
governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all
related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon,
cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in
Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the
programme at Tokyo 2020, while para triathlon was first added to the Paralympic
programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development
of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and
transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the
sport to be extraordinary.
www.triathlon.org
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