LAUNCH OF WATERWAYS IRELAND TRIATHLONE 2007
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE MARIE KEATING FOUNDATION, OUR LADY'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN, CRUMLIN & RESPECT

Ronan Keating, Eamonn Coughlan and Model Sarah Kavanagh officially launched the Waterways Ireland triAthlone 2007 on Wednesday 28th February on the Grand Canal in Dublin. The event will take place on Saturday July 14th in Athlone, Co Westmeath, establishing what we hope will be one of the biggest annual charity fundraising events. We are working under the banner, "3-Good-Reasons" - 3 Disciplines, 3 Charities, 3 Good Reasons.

A simply remarkable PR, marketing and exposure campaign has been designed to promote the race and encourage members of the general public to participate in a specially designed fun charity race (called "try-a-triAthlone") which will take place before the elite race. This campaign is set to be the biggest of its kind to promote a mass participation sporting event. It includes a national poster campaign fronted by Ronan Keating, Kathryn Thomas and Eamonn Coughan; radio ads voiced by Today FM's Mario Rosenstock; and a host of local and national media and TV coverage. A special "celebrity wave" will precede triAthlone 2007, in which many of Ireland's leading media, TV, music and sporting personalities will take part.

Triathlon combines the best of 3 sports: swimming, cycling and running. The main triAthlone race is a Sprint Distance Race: 750m Swim, 20km Bike, 5km Run. The charity Try-a-triAthlone has a shorter downstream swim of 200m with the same bike and run course. The event commences with a swim along the river Shannon which flows through Athlone town, followed by a 20km cycle and 5km run around and through the streets of Athlone. Over 1,500 competitors are expected to take part with up to 100 elite athletes competing in a separate event later on Saturday evening. The river Shannon will provide a spectacular backdrop to the swim part of the triathlon.

The title sponsor for the event is Waterways Ireland, which is the North/South body responsible for the management of the inland navigable waterway system. Martin Dennany, Director of Marketing and Communications with Waterways Ireland spoke of the significance of triAthlone and the involvement of the charities. He said, "This is a unique event and one which we hope will grow to a European and even World ranking triathlon. Waterways Ireland is delighted to be title sponsor and we hope that its success will create an even greater awareness of the unique and recreational resource that is the inland waterway system, and benefit the fantastic charities as well".

"The town of Athlone is synonymous with the river, the lake and the water; and therefore we feel it is apt that Waterways Ireland has agreed to take title sponsorship of Athlone's premier sporting event", said Liam Heavin, Head of triAthlone. "This is our first step in the bidding process for the European and World Triathlon Championships which we are hoping to host in Athlone. Together with the Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the fantastic support shown by all our sponsors including Waterways Ireland, we feel that we are in a position to bring one of the world's biggest sporting spectaculars to Ireland", he added.

Further information on the Waterways Ireland triAthlone 2007 is available from info@triathlone.com or from the event websites www.triathlone.com or www.3goodreasons.ie.

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Further info from:
Karen Cunningham, Waterways Ireland triAthlone, 087 217 4112, karen@triathlone.com, or
Aoife Morrissy, Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland, 00 353 71 9650787 or 00 353 87 9918412.

Date: 01.03.07
PR07004

Pictured at the Launch of the Waterways Ireland triAthlone, on Wednesday were, from left, Ronan Keating; Sarah Kavanagh; Martin Dennany, Director of Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland; and Eamonn Coughlan. The Launch took place at the Grand Canal in Dublin.

Photographer: Breen Cunningham