07/09/2026
It was a huge privilege for us to play our part in keeping athletes, volunteers and spectators safe throughout the weekend.
A massive thank you to North West Triathlon Club, the organisers, volunteers and all the other teams and organisations who came together to make this event happen. 👏
And of course, a huge well done to our own volunteers who gave up their time to provide medical cover and support the event. ❤️
What a weekend! 🤝👏
The dust hasn't fully settled on the 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 just yet.
There will be plenty of time over the coming days to look back, to share the race reports, the photographs and the stories, and to properly reflect on the 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆.
But before any of that, there is something much more important that needs to be said.
𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨.
The sheer number of people, clubs, organisations, businesses, agencies and volunteers who came together to make yesterday possible was incredible.
And behind what everyone saw on race day were 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗲.
Long before the first athlete arrived, people were out building transition, putting out barriers and cones, setting up the course and making sure everything was ready. People gave countless hours throughout the day and into the night. Some even stayed overnight in camper vans, securing equipment and making sure everything remained safe and ready to race the following morning.
Then there were those at registration for hours upon hours, preparing bags and getting athletes through. Others worked in catering tents, marshalled the course, moved equipment and carried out the countless other jobs that simply had to be done.
Some gave up their entire day and barely got an opportunity to see the race itself, despite being people who love this sport.
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴.
And then there is the work that started long before race week ever arrived.
To our 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲, from the moment the concept of bringing this race to the city was first conceived, the work behind the scenes has been relentless. Thousands upon thousands of messages and emails have been exchanged, forms completed, meetings attended and every conceivable requirement worked through and satisfied to get us to that start line.
Much of that work was never seen, nor was it meant to be. But without it, there simply would have been no race.
𝗧𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
For 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯, there was something particularly special about seeing so many familiar faces back at it again.
Members old and new stepped forward, but seeing some of the 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱 back out was special. People who remember those great days of our triathlons in the Foyle from 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟯 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟳 were back again, sleeves rolled up and helping deliver another major triathlon in our city.
Our volunteers were simply incredible. Other triathlon clubs answered the call and came to help. Our medical crews and the organisations involved in keeping athletes safe gave us incredible support, in many cases giving considerably more than they had originally committed to.
And that support extended right out onto the 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝘆𝗹𝗲 itself.
𝗙𝗼𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 provided boat cover, 𝗙𝗼𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 were out on the water, alongside everyone else who provided safety and support throughout the swim. It was another part of the race that many people watching from the banks may not have fully appreciated, but it was absolutely essential to making the event possible.
And whilst us Derry ones might be fairly competitive with Tyrone when there's a football involved, we have to give a very special mention to 𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.
And that brings us to our Race Director, 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗻.
Laura has given her 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 to this race. The hours, commitment and sheer amount of work she has put into bringing it all together cannot be overstated.
Perhaps one of the greatest testaments to Laura as a person was seeing not only how she rallied the troops of North West Triathlon Club, but how her own Omagh Triathlon Club came out in force when she put out the call for help.
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘁.
Yesterday could not have happened because of one person, one club or one organisation. It happened because an enormous number of people decided that they were going to play their part.
Some were front and centre.
Many more were behind the scenes.
Some stood for hours in places where they never saw a single athlete cross the finish line.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱.
We have a lot of people still to thank individually, and 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆.
For now, to everyone who volunteered, marshalled, catered, registered athletes, provided medical cover, provided safety cover on the Foyle, built and dismantled transition and the course, put out barriers and cones, stayed through the night, secured equipment, stood in a tent, carried equipment, answered a radio, directed an athlete, supported the organisers or simply asked:
"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲?"
𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
