Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Michael Dhulst | Co-Founder & CEO at Supertri image

Michael Dhulst | Co-Founder & CEO at Supertri

The UKTriChat Podcast
Avatar
36 Plays14 days ago

SuperTri, Blenheim & the Future of Triathlon

In today’s episode of UKTriChat host Scott Hill sits down with SuperTri CEO and co-founder Michael D’Hulst to dive into the evolution of triathlon and what’s next for the sport.

Michael shares his journey from passionate age-grouper to leading one of the most exciting formats in triathlon, revealing how SuperTri is reshaping racing with fast, spectator-friendly events and a strong focus on community.

The conversation explores the iconic SuperTri Blenheim Palace event, set in a UNESCO World Heritage location, highlighting its unique festival atmosphere, accessibility for all levels, and why it’s a must-do race for UK triathletes. From first-timers and relay teams to elite athletes chasing a place in the SuperTri finals, there’s something for everyone.

They also discuss:

  • The growth of triathlon across generations
  • The rise of short-course, high-intensity racing
  • Opportunities for amateur athletes to race alongside the pros
  • SuperTri’s ambitious global expansion plans

Whether you're new to triathlon or a seasoned competitor, this episode captures the energy, inclusivity, and future direction of the sport.

Transcript

Introduction to UK Tri Chat and Episode Focus

00:00:01
Scott Hill
ah Welcome to another episode of UK Tri Chat with myself, Scott Hill from TriWolf Triathlon Coaching. um Obviously, we love talking about everything swim, bike and run and education

Michael Delstam's Background and Passion for Triathlons

00:00:11
Scott Hill
along the way. And I'm pleased to say today we've got the CEO of SuperTri on the channel, Michael. And we're going to touch on SuperTri and we're also going to talk about Blenheim Palace and what SuperTri got involved with that. So I'll hand it over to you, Michael, if you want to introduce yourself and you know what you've got going early on.
00:00:28
Michael Dhulst
It's got pleasure to be here. Well, yeah, so I am Michael Delstam, the co-founder and the CEO of SuperTri and I love triathlon. Been in love with triathlon since the mid nineties, still race actively every year. So it's all swim, bike and run for me. Actually this weekend is ah is is running, but ah yeah, swim, bike and running starts starts then very soon.
00:00:49
Scott Hill
Yes. what is you What is your background in the sport then? do You mentioned there that you're still active. what is How far is it?
00:00:54
Michael Dhulst
Well, look. I'm a fan and and an active participant in the sport. I think I'm from Belgium originally. So back in 1996, Luc van Lierde won Ironman Hawaii. And then every Belgian thought, hey, we're not and only good at cycling, we're also good at this triathlon thing. let's

Career Transition from Volkswagen to SuperTri

00:01:15
Michael Dhulst
Let's do that, right? So i basically on the back of Luc van Lierde winning Hawaii, I did a my my first triathlon in Belgium and and actually...
00:01:22
Michael Dhulst
yeah Fell in love with the sport, continue it and and and still race probably six so six or seven triathlons every year amongst a bit of running and a bit of everything else.
00:01:31
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:01:31
Scott Hill
She's still very active and 30 years in the sport.
00:01:34
Scott Hill
um so So where were you then and how you've got to be the CEO of Superfly? How has that transition happened?

Creation of SuperTri and Event Format Innovation

00:01:41
Michael Dhulst
ah Well, that that that is ah that is a bit of ah ah long a long story. i mean I mean, if I shorten it, i mean, yeah, ultimately loved the sports, but yeah, went down to school, university and all of that, actually worked for ah worked in corporate, worked for Volkswagen for for about 20 years and, well, I lie, sorry, 10 years. and and And then afterwards,
00:02:06
Michael Dhulst
i was i was in and I was in Asia. They kind of said, look, you can go back to to to Europe now. And I said, I'll take a sabbatical. and then And I wanted to kind of achieve one of my lifelong dreams and is qualifying for Kona. So i I went and pursued that.
00:02:20
Michael Dhulst
And... On that journey, i met Felix Wallsurfer, who is obviously Challenge Roth. And I started an event in Taiwan for Challenge Family. Challenge Taiwan still exists as as one of the world's biggest triathlons now.
00:02:36
Michael Dhulst
Through that, came in touch with Chris McCormack and some other people. and And we kind of matured multiple ideas, was involved with other different triathlon projects. And and then, ah yeah, now...
00:02:49
Michael Dhulst
Now about eight, nine years ago, um we were looking at the space and saying, look, what what is the sport missing? We need something short, sharp, that is that is that is that is suitable for modern

Blenheim Palace Event and Community Atmosphere

00:03:03
Michael Dhulst
audiences. right So we came up with the idea of Supertri, very much focused on, it was Super League Triathlon back in the day, so a closed league for professional triathletes a little bit like what the hunter does to crickets right make it shorter make it sharper make it it made it make it a
00:03:20
Michael Dhulst
make it media friendly and and yeah so that's that's how it then led to supertri but yeah it's a journey of passion for triathlon and once I turned my back on corporate life actually never looking looking looking back to going in corporate but sticking with triathlon
00:03:34
Scott Hill
yeah It's quite funny. you know We do a lot of these podcasts and talk to people that have been involved in the corporate world, you know whether that's banking or sales and everything else. um and know and Quite recently, I've seen a few things about endurance athletes and how they're a little bit tapped in some way, you know, we we we have a little bit of a different switch where we just love the endurance side of it.
00:03:50
Michael Dhulst
yeah yeah
00:03:54
Scott Hill
And, you know, we, well, the common phrase is grab the ball by the horns and off you go. And it sounds like you're another one of those that have just got really heavily involved in the sport and you've just loved it and you just kept driving it forward and you've achieved something fantastic now with with the whole Supertry stuff.
00:03:59
Michael Dhulst
yes
00:04:09
Scott Hill
um
00:04:10
Michael Dhulst
thats got yeah That's exactly right. I think that's that's many of many of us endurance athletes are like that, right? They just kind of love it and then and then go with it and and yeah then it's ups and downs. Like any triathlon, it's ups and downs, right? and But you keep fighting and and and ultimately ah I think we're building something beautiful so very enthusiastic still every day.
00:04:30
Scott Hill
I guess the question everyone's got right now is, did you get to Kona?
00:04:34
Michael Dhulst
I did get to Kona, yes. I did, so I did.
00:04:36
Scott Hill
because hes
00:04:36
Michael Dhulst
And race, it was was a fantastic event.
00:04:39
Michael Dhulst
Loved it.
00:04:39
Scott Hill
the
00:04:40
Scott Hill
The European field ah is tough. you know
00:04:45
Michael Dhulst
yeah.
00:04:46
Scott Hill
In the i mean in UK, our weather is not the best, so a lot of Europeans don't really come to the UK because our weather is not great. you know A lot of us leave the UK and go go chasing better climates.
00:04:53
Michael Dhulst
yeah.
00:04:57
Scott Hill
So the competition that you see and have in Europe, I don't think is, is although there's strong competition here, we don't see the masses of it as you see in European european races.
00:05:07
Scott Hill
um
00:05:08
Michael Dhulst
yeah
00:05:09
Scott Hill
But yeah, so very tough.
00:05:10
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, well, I mean, it's it's interesting because, i mean, when when I qualified, I was living in Asia, as ah as I said, right? And and you had a lot of you had a lot of people traveling internationally for for what ah what was kind of weaker fields, right, to to get to Kona.
00:05:20
Scott Hill
Yeah.
00:05:25
Michael Dhulst
But yeah, the the race I

SuperTri's Expansion and Generational Engagement

00:05:27
Michael Dhulst
did... It was more one of those last man's, the the race where i qualified was more one of those last man standing where where it got very, very hot.
00:05:35
Michael Dhulst
And I remember very well coming off the bike and the run. And then, you know, everybody thinking, well, we're flying here the first kilometers on the run, right? And I was like, okay, I know this climate a little bit.
00:05:45
Michael Dhulst
Let's just pace it easy, hydrate, pace it easy. And and yeah, and... ah in kilometer 30 35 all the europeans were in the bush right um it was it was very rough was very rough so
00:05:56
Scott Hill
that's everyone traveling out two or three days before thinking they can do what they've done in practice right but in theory doesn't work like that um you've got to get used to
00:06:04
Michael Dhulst
ye yeah yeah yeah and
00:06:08
Scott Hill
So SuperTry, we've seen all over social media, you know we've seen it on TV and everything else over the years.
00:06:08
Michael Dhulst
a
00:06:14
Scott Hill
But this year you are coming the UK and doing SuperTry at Blenheim Palace.
00:06:20
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, exactly.
00:06:20
Scott Hill
do you feel?
00:06:20
Michael Dhulst
So SuperTri, it's been a journey. So we started, as I said, Super League Triathlon. Then a a few years ago, we ventured more into mass participation and we rebranded SuperTri, right?
00:06:31
Michael Dhulst
But the idea of, okay, this is a community for short course triathlon. And and we we offer both professional racing and and and and mass participation. we we we We grew relatively quickly in the US.
00:06:45
Michael Dhulst
I think we have we have six events in North America. yeah we're we're we're probably getting close to 20,000 participants there, so that's relatively big. But yeah then we wanted to also get into into Europe. and and yeah we do We operate two events now, one in Blenheim Palace that that we acquired and we started a new event last year in Toulouse, beautiful city. yeah and and Those are two fantastic events. I think for us, for Supertry, we really want to...
00:07:14
Michael Dhulst
We want to take on these start and take on these iconic events with massive legacy that really are cornerstones of the community. And Blenheim is exactly that. right any i I think every triathlete in the UK should kind of...
00:07:27
Michael Dhulst
do Blenheim multiple times and they kind of be their cornerstone event that they go back to just check, okay, where where am I this year in terms of fitness? How do I compare? right and and and And it's that kind of event. Yeah, so we we're actually very proud to now be the custodian of the event and to continue to to to build on it. and And because I think it is, ah as I said, a cornerstone of the triathlon community. And I think we can actually elevate it and and and and continue to use it.
00:07:55
Michael Dhulst
to build it up and and grow the sport with it. Yeah.
00:07:58
Scott Hill
Yeah, I think, um well, it's the uk it's a World Heritage site here anyway, Blenheim Palace. The backdrop and the background is like phenomenal. Spectator-friendly, so you can get all your family and friends in there as well to watch it.
00:08:09
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:08:09
Scott Hill
So you do get that community spirit in them type of environments. So, yeah, I'm under no illusion that Supertrial only elevate that and make it even bigger and better than it has been for years gone by.
00:08:19
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:08:21
Scott Hill
um
00:08:23
Michael Dhulst
it It is.
00:08:24
Scott Hill
actual...
00:08:24
Michael Dhulst
I mean, actually, let me let me jump in there because it's exactly that, right? It is that you get away for a day, you you drive to Blenheim Palace, you can bring the whole family. We'll make sure that there is a nice kind of, you call festival area, but there's there there's things to do.
00:08:37
Michael Dhulst
The family can sit, have a drink, have a coffee, hang around. There will be a little activities. there's ah There's a nice kind of expo area. And and obviously, it's Blenheim Palace, right? It's, as you said, UNESCO World Heritage Site.
00:08:48
Scott Hill
I think
00:08:49
Michael Dhulst
is It's beautiful. It's worth to kind of go out there for for the day, relax, be in the outside, beautiful day, get some triathlon in. You do it as a relay, you do it you do it as a whole, right? it's It's a fantastic course. Everything is closed off. and and But yeah, it's not just about the triathlon. It's also about just celebrating the active community. And that's kind of where we think there has a little a lot of potential for growth still.

Fostering New Talent and Varied Event Formats

00:09:15
Michael Dhulst
And I think it's just that great day to get out and do something, right?
00:09:19
Scott Hill
I think yeah what we're seeing more and more of now is, is and even with people I coach, that their families, they've had children, you know maybe on second generations now, where their children are being brought up with the sport.
00:09:32
Scott Hill
Whereas you know if we think back to when you started 30 years ago, it was a um it was the older generation of people that were getting into this sport. Whereas now we're seeing first, second, third generations of children that are being brought up with the sport.
00:09:45
Scott Hill
So it's elevated in the sport.
00:09:46
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:09:47
Scott Hill
you know It's more widely... Um, people are aware of it. The, you know, people, uh, performances are constantly evolving over generations. So we're seeing it get, um, bigger, faster, more exciting in some ways as well.
00:10:02
Scott Hill
Um, and more aware the triathlon community is just growing. Um, you know, the UK, it was a 2012 boom that really brought on with Olympics with the Brownlee's brothers.
00:10:06
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:10:10
Scott Hill
Whereas, whereas now everyone knows what triathlon was, whereas back then they didn't, didn't so much.
00:10:10
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:10:14
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:10:15
Scott Hill
So,
00:10:15
Michael Dhulst
yeah
00:10:16
Michael Dhulst
And it's and exciting times for triathlons, I believe, because Yeah, we see a lot of, like I mean, I'm like yeah mid, late 40s, right? And I was always kind of the biggest age group in the sports. And now we're we're we're getting, we see that in our signups. A lot of people like 20 year olds, 25 year olds who want to get into the sports. and And they're looking for communities. They're looking for being part of something. And I think Blenheim offers exactly that. You go out there and and you just hang around for a day.
00:10:16
Scott Hill
um
00:10:46
Scott Hill
Are
00:10:46
Michael Dhulst
It's not just in and out. It's ah it's a hanging around. It's it's it's meeting like-minded people right that you can share the passion with. and And as we said in the beginning, if you're if you're bitten by the triathlon bug, it becomes really part of you. right so it's And it's an opportunity to kind of meet like-minded people, I think, and and come together and celebrate a bit of endurance.
00:11:05
Scott Hill
you going to have some professional athletes there as well? Will they be there? Will athletes see them?
00:11:11
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, what we what we do is, I mean, we do two things on the professional side. We partnered up with with the BTF to have it part of the Super Series, right? So that always brings ah brings like kind of that next generation. And and with SuperTroy and me personally, I've always been passionate about bringing next generation of athletes in so it's not just about the Alexies of this world but like who is that who is the who will be Alexie in five years time right that that is that ah what I'm really passionate about we used to do something even already seven years ago where that was in Jersey um where we had like Utah Junior development races right and and we had Alistair Brownie doing the race briefing he stepped out and was doing the race briefing and all these kids were like
00:11:54
Scott Hill
yeah
00:11:54
Michael Dhulst
what Alistair Brownlee is here and he's telling us how this race will look like. they were just like and And some of these young kids actually are now coming through and and and starting to race with us and against the Alexies of this world. right So it's it's fantastic to see that pathway. And I think the British Super Series is is offers that. So I'm very enthusiastic about that. But beyond that, we also we also use it because we will have ah we have we have a grand a grant final for Supertry in the Supertry format.
00:12:23
Michael Dhulst
This will be... a yeah the biggest one-day prize purse in the sport currently available. um And Alexi, et cetera, will be racing there. So some of the biggest names in the sport have already over ah already stamped their tickets.
00:12:35
Michael Dhulst
But yeah, for some of the, whether it's a Super Series athlete or some of the other athletes who show up and race in Blenheim, they will be invited to to that event to race for some massive prize money. So yeah, I'm um'm anticipating that some of the yeah the big stars from Blenheim from the UK, but also internationally, will show up and want to validate ah a ticket to get to get to the final.
00:12:58
Scott Hill
That's for us exciting as well, isn't it? And it's interesting, before you mentioned there about, you know, you're looking for the future of the sport as well, you know, and I watch quite a lot of sport, you know, and and one that kind of resonates with me is what we see in Formula One now, like Lewis Hamilton, that you know, he's been racing 20 plus years and we see the youngsters that had a picture with him you know when In his early days of racing, when they were you know preschool kids and now they're winning races, I guess we're starting to see that in the triathlon world where people are looking up to their icons.
00:13:00
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
00:13:23
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:13:25
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:13:29
Scott Hill
you mentioned Alistair Brownlee there and these youngsters. can't believe this is Alistair Brownlee.
00:13:32
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:13:33
Scott Hill
And we're starting to see that in the sport. So it's definitely, it's out there, it's growing and it is exciting. And and I think Blenheim Palace, as well as the grounds, but seeing the pro athletes you know in amongst the expo areas potentially with with age groupers and families will be quite an exciting time.
00:13:39
Michael Dhulst
yeah
00:13:44
Michael Dhulst
yeah
00:13:48
Michael Dhulst
yeah
00:13:48
Scott Hill
Really good weekend, I think.
00:13:49
Michael Dhulst
that's That's exactly what i like. That's what I think makes Brennan Palace so unique as a venue, right? Because everybody is on the palace grounds. Everybody comes together. Everybody has has kind of driven up there to be there, right? And hangs around and makes and wants to relax. And we'll make sure that, yeah, there is there is the coffee, the beer, the seating areas to relax and actually do that, right? But, yeah, it's it's great to hang around. Alex is there. I mean, he's ah he's the nicest kid on the planet, right? So, yeah You can have a chat, whether it's a Alex or some other professional athletes, right? They're all they're all going to be there. You can hang out and it's going to be fantastic. And it's that that sense of community, which I think is still very special in triathlon. Because if you go to some of the bigger sports, you don't get that anymore, right? It's it's more like the professionals here and and the fans over here, right? And and and we as a sport, we can really bring that we can really bring that together. And I think Blenheim is a great place for that.
00:14:44
Scott Hill
yeah So how is the, you mentioned there, the event is where you can do them in relays or individually. What's the breakdown of the events for the weekend?
00:14:51
Michael Dhulst
Well, ah so, Blenheim is a very exciting thing. So, obviously, you have the the super sprint, right? It's a great entry race. If you want to do swim, bike, and run, start with a super sprint, very digestible distance distances. But I also love it. I still do a lot of super sprinters just to kind of get

Global Appeal and Cultural Richness of SuperTri Events

00:15:09
Michael Dhulst
the cobwebs off, right, and and just go hard. then And then it's then it's a lot of waves of sprint distance racing. so And it's it's a It's a very safe swim, right? You swim in in the lake on the palace. You get up, you do for the sprint distance. It's three laps to the ground, andulating, but beautiful. and then And then the run is two laps, right? So you come you kind of come around. And and yeah, also on the ground, very safe. So for a triathlon, I would say for first timers, a great experience. um
00:15:43
Michael Dhulst
and But yeah we also offer relays. I shouldn't forget that. write Relays, I think that that ah that is a great thing. Team up with with a couple of friends. One can swim swim, one can bike, one can run. And then what I want to promote a lot and is also the the weekend warriors, right? Actually, we we're thinking of ah of weekend warriors do as many sprint distance de triathlons over the weekend as you can. And I think there is a there's a record of eight sprint distance triathlons over over the over the weekend. So we we're we're thinking of pushing out a challenge there. Can you come and do more than eight over the weekend? That's obviously a massive endurance push, right? So I think, and again,
00:16:24
Michael Dhulst
This is all about bringing the whole community together. You want to do a super sprint, you want to do a relay, that's there on offer. it's it's it's It's great. You want to do a sprint distance race, one of the nicest events that you can do in the world, you have there.
00:16:37
Michael Dhulst
And you want to challenge yourself, come and do as many as you as you like over over the weekend and and and and have a crack. I love that. it It offers somebody for everything. and yeah It offers um somebody something for everybody.
00:16:48
Scott Hill
yeah
00:16:51
Scott Hill
yeah so it's good i mean you mentioned about the lake itself there it is a really safe environment the water is lovely and calm you know it's uh it's not like the ocean is it it's it's well protected and obviously you're in the stunning grounds and everything there you mentioned um uh laps for the bike and run is the the bike course is it like tarmac roads what
00:16:57
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:17:00
Michael Dhulst
Yeah. yeah Yeah.
00:17:10
Michael Dhulst
Yes. So it's Tom, it's partly, but sometimes there's a little bit of loose loose gravel on it, but it's super safe, andulating. that they're They're wide enough. I mean, we we run waves the whole day, right? So it kind of continuously rolls through the day the of

SuperTri's Community Focus and Expansion Plans

00:17:25
Michael Dhulst
the event. And and yeah, this,
00:17:27
Michael Dhulst
this is a great this is a great experience on on the grounds, three laps or or two laps, depending whether you do the sprint or the super sprint distance.
00:17:37
Scott Hill
three it So three at most on the bike and then two laps on the run at most per course.
00:17:41
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:17:42
Scott Hill
yeah
00:17:42
Michael Dhulst
yeah Yeah.
00:17:44
Scott Hill
And absolutely that's all so secluded within the ground itself and no one's out open roads as such.
00:17:44
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:17:50
Michael Dhulst
No, nobody's on open roads. There's nothing else going on on the roads. It's all kind of safe. Yeah. And, and, Again, it's it's laps, which I also like, because yeah you come through you come through the crowds and to the other people who come up for the day. so yeah, it's it's great for motivation also. Again, it's all about that community atmosphere that you that you get. And I think, yeah, Blenheim is very unique in that.
00:18:12
Scott Hill
think i think I think most people in UK I'd like to think have heard of the Weekend Warrior.
00:18:18
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, they should.
00:18:18
Scott Hill
It's a really popular one. Yeah, I think most people have.
00:18:21
Michael Dhulst
They should.
00:18:22
Scott Hill
Eight's the record.
00:18:23
Michael Dhulst
It's the record, yeah. yeah and and i love I love that.
00:18:27
Scott Hill
I'm sure.
00:18:29
Michael Dhulst
I think with SuperTri, we're now kind of thinking... but We have something similar in our event in Chicago where it's ah where it's a super sprint, a sprint and o Olympic distance racing, the triple challenge over the weekend.
00:18:39
Scott Hill
Yep.
00:18:40
Michael Dhulst
right so you have to You have to be quickly back so you can dive into the into the ways that are still going.
00:18:43
Scott Hill
If you're
00:18:46
Michael Dhulst
right so I think yeah there's there's a lot of fun and and for the more established triathletes to come and do some of the the shorter stuff but do some of these these incredible incredible challenges.
00:19:00
Michael Dhulst
right and and yeah if you want to come and do more than eight, have...
00:19:02
Scott Hill
four before Before I took up triathlon, I did a bit of skydiving um and used I used to jump out, parachute, skydive down, land on the ground, pack the parachute again, and then I'd get on another lift or another wave effectively and back up again.
00:19:04
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:19:16
Scott Hill
and You know, some similar sort of places.
00:19:17
Michael Dhulst
Well...
00:19:18
Scott Hill
See if you can pack on the waves and keep going.
00:19:19
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:19:21
Scott Hill
That's exciting, you know, and it's it's nice to see that there's a little bit of challenge element. So it's not necessarily you've got some of the new to sport developing first timers all the way up to someone that's quite seasonable that wants to challenge and stretch themselves as well, going for time or go multiple events.
00:19:30
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:19:33
Michael Dhulst
Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, I would say in general, right, I think ah ah with Supertry, what we want to do also is is kind of have people race more, right?
00:19:37
Scott Hill
and
00:19:46
Michael Dhulst
Because I think events and bringing two people bringing people together to do an event, I think it's it's it's so important for for kind of keeping motivated, right? I said, I mean, I probably raced seven or eight times last year, only triathlons, right?
00:20:01
Michael Dhulst
And then a bunch of running events on top of that, right? I think, and yeah, I don't have the aspiration that every event is about PBs, but it's just about kind of going out there, meeting with with the community, being part of that, right?
00:20:13
Michael Dhulst
Then contributing, giving back. I mean, do a bit of volunteering next weekend, et cetera. So it just, I think that is unique about about the triathlon community. And I feel, over the last decade, some of that has maybe gone lost a little bit.
00:20:25
Michael Dhulst
And i want to and people are just kind of, I do this one race a year and and and that's it. and And it all has to fall in place on this one race.
00:20:30
Scott Hill
Yeah.
00:20:33
Michael Dhulst
I say, let's bring community back and and let's race multiple times so and and and also be involved with volunteering, et cetera. I think there's ah that's the trend and that's what we want to push for. And I think... yeah we're kind of a super tribe fits in well there. Ironman is then kind of for the the bigger challenges, but that ecosystem is is it's kind of getting completed. Yeah.
00:20:56
Scott Hill
Yeah, and the I quite like the fact that you can do relays and stuff because not everyone can not everyone can swim, not everyone can run, for example.
00:21:00
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:21:03
Scott Hill
It might not be that they would love to, but they might not be able to for an injury, for example.
00:21:04
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:21:09
Scott Hill
So is they can still come along and get involved and be part of the triathlon community and and do a leg and support their friends and everything else.
00:21:09
Michael Dhulst
yeah yeah
00:21:16
Scott Hill
So that's a really nice touch to the sport. And I think something that's evolved over the last sort five to eight years And you're seeing more more of these these type of relays or aqua bikes and stuff like that as well.
00:21:22
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:21:26
Scott Hill
So I think it's it's really important.
00:21:27
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:21:28
Scott Hill
um So how how does the SuperTri stuff work for the elite racing side of things? mean If we look at that side of things,
00:21:35
Michael Dhulst
Well, so the the the elite so the elite racing, i we will have we will have an elite wave, essentially, in our first event in Austin, Texas, so which is in two months' time. Then in Blenheim, then we'll have one in Toronto and all of those. all of those While they're essentially sprint distance racing, the pros race on the same course as as the age groupers and and go off in the first wave.
00:22:02
Michael Dhulst
We'll have the full integrations that we're working on of kind of cool yeah leaderboards where you that can compare yourself to the pros on swimming, biking and running. So a little bit of gamification on all of that, right? um We'll have some cool tech updates on that. But yeah, and and the and what what the pros are actually aiming for, they want to earn a spot to participate, a to toe the line in in our final, which which will be in which will be in September. And in the final, as I was saying earlier, that is that the the biggest one-day prize purse in the sport and and is the the traditional SuperTri format, so very, very short loops. And in total, there will be 16 people racing that. And what we've done now, we've done invitations to the to reigning Olympic champion, Alexis, Cassandra, Beaugrand, they've already stamped a ticket. And and then and then to our SuperTri champions, but also to ITU champions, et cetera. right So to bring the best in the world together. And then we'll bring in the people who qualify through the series, in that and and and put a yeah ah big prize purse and and and all, of course, broadcasted and and all of that, right? So that will be a very exciting day of the sport.
00:23:12
Scott Hill
that So 16 people in the final. 16
00:23:15
Michael Dhulst
16 people in the final. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:23:17
Scott Hill
males, 16 female.
00:23:20
Michael Dhulst
16 male and 16 female. So each, each yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:23:23
Scott Hill
that's quite good. So two waves. And they they they secure their slot by coming to race one of the other ones, and that's how they secure their slot.
00:23:26
Michael Dhulst
yeah
00:23:31
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:23:32
Scott Hill
They don't have to race one series, just go and race one and hopefully secure their slot.
00:23:32
Michael Dhulst
So, yeah.
00:23:35
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, yeah. So yeah, I mean, like and and that's that's the fun, like so in Blenheim specifically, right, so the the pro wave will have kind of two races in there, right, so there's there's one pro wave and and it will be both, they will be racing for um yeah for the Super Series, so all the Brits will be looking at Super Series points and et cetera, et cetera, but they're also, raised and there will be some international participation, they obviously fall outside of the the Super Series podium, so to say, right, but combined they're all racing for for also for those, yeah, these tickets that we have on offer for for the final, right?
00:23:36
Scott Hill
That's it.
00:24:11
Michael Dhulst
So, yeah, it could well be that ah that ah that a young kid that is racing the Super Series has a great day and and and earns himself a ticket to come and race in the final and make a good chunk of money.
00:24:21
Michael Dhulst
So, it will, yeah, very exciting.
00:24:23
Scott Hill
It exciting for the youngsters and somewhere different as a sport that we're not necessarily familiar with with the minute.
00:24:26
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:24:29
Scott Hill
So, yeah.
00:24:30
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, and and and what I like is that like yeah on the on these shorter events, right everything can happen. it's it's it's kind of like If you look at the long distance, it's it's a lot more predictable, in my opinion.
00:24:40
Michael Dhulst
The short scores, you you have you have major upsets, you have surprises, etc. So everything can happen. So yeah, um um um yeah it's it's always good. It's always good.
00:24:50
Scott Hill
Yeah. Full gas from the off.
00:24:52
Michael Dhulst
Indeed. Indeed.
00:24:54
Scott Hill
Yeah. And how are you?
00:24:55
Michael Dhulst
we did We did a series back in the day called Every Second Count because it's exactly like that.
00:24:55
Scott Hill
Yeah.
00:24:59
Michael Dhulst
If you kind of take your eye off the ball, you miss a gap, you miss a hole here or there, boom, you're off and it's finished.

Vision for Triathlon as a Lifestyle and Personal Impact

00:25:06
Scott Hill
yeah Yeah, it's very, very tough. And yeah i mean, we see that when we talk about the Olympics and stuff, you see it there. but It's like broadcasted everywhere then and you see that. um So with regards to sort of professionals that are interested in this at the minute, where where are the masses coming from? Is there a set country that are more interested in others? if we've got athletes that highlighted from other areas or is there kind of ah a broad mix of
00:25:29
Michael Dhulst
on the On the professional side, I think, yeah, i i look, UK always has it has a good and and solid pipeline that comes through.
00:25:36
Michael Dhulst
The French are never never never to be underestimated. but there is There's a couple of Germans in there that that play a role. ah yeah And then, of course, there's always there's always also a few Spanish.
00:25:36
Scott Hill
Yeah.
00:25:48
Michael Dhulst
So these are the major countries that that are that that always have good representation. I think there is a... There's a Hungarian girl. she's She's still very young, but she's been doing incredible.
00:26:01
Michael Dhulst
Fanny Salai. So she's that is interesting. There is always... is and some and And the US the us s is... There is some cool US talent coming through.
00:26:13
Michael Dhulst
ah
00:26:14
Scott Hill
Yeah. Because it's so busy.
00:26:15
Michael Dhulst
yeah what What you see, like i guess and this is a bit of Brownlee legacy, right? What you see in the UK is that you have talent developing from young. from young They said, look, we are triathletes and we pursue that.
00:26:26
Michael Dhulst
And you have the same in in France, right? Whereas in the US, it's probably less like that. It's probably they kind of talent ID them a little bit later.
00:26:32
Scott Hill
so
00:26:34
Michael Dhulst
and then So you get an incredible runner, right? Yeah, runs like the best, but struggles with the swim, right? so and then So in the US, it then more becomes like, okay, can we, out of a single sport athlete, can we kind of make a multi-sport athlete?
00:26:49
Michael Dhulst
Whereas, I guess in the UK and in France, that that happens um a lot earlier, right?
00:26:49
Scott Hill
Yeah.
00:26:55
Michael Dhulst
So you have much more complete athletes. And don't know, I mean, i so I know it for my own swimming. It's hard to learn to swim if you haven't grown up swimming, right? So there's that's definitely a point.
00:27:06
Scott Hill
No, I'm in that same that same boat myself. you know I can swim and I swim relatively well. But for someone who swam all of their life and has come through you know them them school years as such, and whichever levels, it's not a case that they're perfect in the water. It's just they've had it from such a young age. They tend to work with the water better than someone else that's joined it later on.
00:27:31
Scott Hill
I mean, I cycled as a kid, so cycling is my strength. That was kind of all I did. So I i mean, friends of mine are like, i don't know I don't know how you can be so quick on a bike when you don't cycle so much. I'm like, well, I look back at my childhood and I just cycled everywhere.
00:27:46
Scott Hill
I had a bike and that was it. And I 100% am a firm believer that that is why, because it was like sort of spread into me very young. And this was...
00:27:55
Michael Dhulst
muscle memory kind of thing yeah yeah
00:27:56
Scott Hill
yeah and it just becomes a natural thing and you get on a bike and off you go um and you know again running running's not something we're really taught you know we we learn to walk but then all of a sudden we just self-teach ourselves to run right um and swimming's probably a little bit different especially them young youngsters that get in the pool and you know um they're doing well before school after school um i look at that and think that's called that's torture but for them it's not
00:28:19
Michael Dhulst
yeah
00:28:22
Michael Dhulst
Well, I mean, I have i have three kids. My oldest is 10, right? and And he swims for regional for a regional squat here in Guildford, right? And he swims five times a week, five kilometers a session. So he swims 25 kilometers ah a week at at at age of 10. I mean, there's no way I can catch catch up with him. So it's incredible. But... but It just goes easy.
00:28:47
Michael Dhulst
I mean, he's gone into it. He got himself through. And at some point, I was thinking, it's too much volume. It's too much. But no, it just goes. It just goes.
00:28:57
Scott Hill
yeah
00:28:57
Michael Dhulst
It's incredible.
00:28:58
Scott Hill
as long as I enjoy it and then that's the main thing isn't it yeah 25k a week it that would break me that would um
00:29:01
Michael Dhulst
and it
00:29:05
Michael Dhulst
Or make you a very fast swimmer.
00:29:08
Scott Hill
yeah i want that one i think i do about probably about 12k a week um and that's that's quite a lot as well um
00:29:14
Michael Dhulst
no and But I mean, that's the i think i think now we're speaking out of passion, but I it i like i the i think what is great is is that this community is growing so fast. And I think like okay what if you look at the sport of of the over the last decade, right you see how the brownies kind of boosted it up.
00:29:36
Michael Dhulst
And then it grew it grew massively. And then just kind of, of course, COVID kind of undermined everything. But I'm very excited of where where it's going now with bringing new people into the sport and and bringing lot younger people into the sport. I think that's that that that is great. It's going in a great, great direction.
00:29:57
Scott Hill
So the super triad Blenheim for 2026, I believe is the 6th and 7th of July. i Sorry, June 6th and of June this year.
00:30:04
Michael Dhulst
Yes, yes.
00:30:05
Scott Hill
That's right.
00:30:06
Michael Dhulst
That's correct.
00:30:07
Scott Hill
And Blenheim is pretty much a central location or central, central South, central England, isn't it really? So it's easy accessible for everyone else, for everyone.
00:30:13
Michael Dhulst
Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:15
Scott Hill
So if they want to, uh, they can look up on the website. It's pretty easy to Google it and find out what's going there. So they can find out what's going on.
00:30:20
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:30:21
Scott Hill
If they're interested, then they can, um, they can always look that up and see what's going on and see if something takes effort.
00:30:26
Michael Dhulst
yeah Yeah, and and yeah, we obviously, I mean, Blenheim is one of those events that always sells out, right? And and and I think we we just surpassed the 5,000 participants, right? So it's it's going to be a big one again, right? So that that's for sure. And yeah, and and we're looking at at it's really spicing up this community atmosphere a little bit, right? And bring the pros back in and large numbers.
00:30:53
Michael Dhulst
Yeah. We already have 5,000. I think we'll sell out again easily. And and it will be a great weekend of of of just bringing the community together. And and ah and and as we've been saying, right whether you do it as a relay to dabble your feet in multi-sport or and whether you want to do a sprint or an Olympic distance and take it on yourself completely, or whether you want to go crazy and challenge for eight over the weekend,
00:31:18
Michael Dhulst
everybody's there and and and and yeah and and you have and everybody kind of will meet as as as that community, which I think is amazing.
00:31:25
Scott Hill
So where where do you see this going? Where's the future of Supertry? Have you got like a five-year plan where you want to progress stuff in the future?
00:31:32
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:31:35
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, I think for us, it's it's about... for us it's about i mean, we have eight events now I think we'll we'll get participants this year. ah as i said, two events in... and Europe and and and and and a and six events in the US. I think we want to grow to about 20, right? But all but focus on and focus on those regions, Europe, US, right? I think, and build events that are...
00:32:05
Michael Dhulst
impactful, big in size, deliver great quality, all about community and making sure like, okay, we are we are actually starting to run, shake starting to organize shakeout runs now. We'll have two lined up in London, we'll do one in Oxford, et cetera, to kind of build towards, right? So get involved in the whole journey towards the event and then make sure that this is just an event where where the whole community can come together, right? And just meets meets and and and and is inspired. And I think Blenheim also, in terms of timing, still early in the season, right? It's just kind of ideally too to get going. And I think that's that is Supertry's positioning, kind of big, impactful, premium events across Europe and and North America. And I think, yeah, we can double in size over the next three years.
00:32:57
Scott Hill
So eight at the minute forecast, hopefully for 20. um Three, three years.
00:33:01
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:33:02
Scott Hill
That's, that's quite a lot in three years. what are you looking for for your locations? And I know you've got obviously Blenheim, we've spoken about that. it's quite an iconic place, but are you looking for places like that around the globe that are, that i add that something different and something special to the community?
00:33:17
Michael Dhulst
yeah i think Yes, I think there is there is still a couple of events out there that already have like an iconic status that we think we can contribute and and grow. right ah
00:33:27
Scott Hill
Yeah.
00:33:28
Michael Dhulst
ah and and yeah For us, i think as as as we if we can want to get involved, we want to we want to be able to also grow the events, make it bigger, make it better. right so that That is important.
00:33:39
Michael Dhulst
yeah i'd like to I'd like to do a few more events in in the UK. I think that would be do we be good. i think our sweet spot would be like if we have like, we can start with Blenheim in the and the earlier part of the year, maybe one over the summer, maybe one at the at the end. So, yeah, we don't so kind of spread that out a little bit. I think that would be that would be a nice direction.
00:33:59
Michael Dhulst
And yeah, and and our sweet spot is these kind of iconic locations, right? Good locations. So, I think there's I know the Brownlee Foundation, they have like some iconic events that are more destination events.
00:34:11
Michael Dhulst
I love that too. That's not super tri. So I think yeah our our our positioning and the whole ecosystem of triathlon is kind of those more iconic locations. And and yeah, we're we're looking at a few others.
00:34:23
Scott Hill
Yeah. Yeah. So obviously with the UK, obviously June water temperatures. Okay. I think some people start to, what are we in now? March, April, some April, May time, probably for myself, it's about May time.
00:34:38
Scott Hill
We're getting the open water here and it's kind of okay then until about September, then it tapers off.
00:34:40
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:34:43
Scott Hill
So that's your window you're looking at within that bracket.
00:34:45
Michael Dhulst
yeah that that's That's the window.
00:34:45
Scott Hill
Yeah. yeah. so
00:34:48
Michael Dhulst
That's the window. Yeah, indeed. That's the window in the UK. Yeah. But I like i think that's that that kind of works well, right? so It kind of works well. you We all need to race a bit more.
00:34:58
Scott Hill
um How will the window differ for other places in the world then? you know We've spoken about North America there. Is it a similar sort of time of year for us or would it be a different time of year for for us in the UK that we could travel to some other places?
00:35:10
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, I mean, yeah, Austin, austin for example, is is is now on on Memorial Day. and Let me just check. It's it's late May, right? And and like I was, raced it last year and it was already extremely hot, right? Texas and...
00:35:29
Michael Dhulst
but I'm looking at it here. okay it's It's on on monday that the Monday, the 25th of May, and that's already very, very, very hot.
00:35:35
Scott Hill
Yeah. Okay.
00:35:37
Michael Dhulst
right So the season in the US can start could start a lot. It can start a bit earlier. ah yeah and and then and then, yeah, and ultimately for us this year, we finish off in Toulouse, and that's the first weekend of of October.
00:35:53
Michael Dhulst
right And and yeah that still offers Toulouse's... and region Occitanie, so sort south of France, you still get very, very nice weather there, right? So, ah yeah, so that's that's kind of where we said we start we mean we start late April and and go to October and and all all great events.
00:36:14
Scott Hill
And do these are these what are they are they all different as in terrain to like flat events, bit more rolling and et cetera?
00:36:14
Michael Dhulst
And I think, yeah,
00:36:21
Scott Hill
Are they different in that sort of context?
00:36:25
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, they're they're all they're all different. Let's say Austin austin is downtown Austin. It's also ah it's a river swim, downtown Austin. And then we we ride right up to like the Capitol building, which is a bit of a hill, come back down. right so and it's ah It's a four-lap course, but it's all it's all very, very downtown down downtown Austin.
00:36:49
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, it's a bit hilly. like Chicago is a big one. Chicago has has over 8,000 athletes participating. and that's kind of a you you start If you do the Olympic distance, you start with a very long stretch on the on the kind of the the highway that runs next next we close off the whole highway but red runs next to the next to the to the Lake Michigan. right so very wide and then afterwards you go in the tunnels of the batman movies right so that's that's a bit special uh so but yeah that's that's a that's a fast flat course austin is because you have that little you have that hill four times it's it's it's maybe a bit more of a yeah a bit more of a challenge uh
00:37:17
Scott Hill
Thank
00:37:32
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, so it's it's it's slightly different. I think Toulouse is that typical French, ah more narrow, more like more narrow the smaller streets, et cetera, because, again, it's downtown Toulouse River Swim.
00:37:45
Michael Dhulst
um They all have that downtown feeling to it. They're also just very accessible and and easy for spect fans and spectators to come down and cheer, which I think is is great. But, yeah, they all have a bit of characteristics for where they are. Yeah.
00:37:59
Scott Hill
Yeah, I going to say you that that um it goes back to that community spirit, doesn't it in summer for everyone. And if you're in the downtown areas, then it's traditional to the region, which if you go in there with your family or your friends, then you're, yes, you're doing sport, but I guess you're exposing yourself to a bit of tourism as well when you're seeing the world and and how these little communities live and stuff like that.
00:38:08
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:38:16
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:38:20
Scott Hill
So for me, that's like an education piece as well, right?
00:38:20
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:38:23
Scott Hill
And it's life experience. And that's what I love about triathlon is I get to travel the world go to all these great places and you kind of and live life and such.
00:38:30
Michael Dhulst
yep
00:38:31
Scott Hill
So you go and you know, just my fridge is full filled with magnets from different places I've been.
00:38:36
Michael Dhulst
ye
00:38:37
Scott Hill
That's from back ribs.
00:38:37
Michael Dhulst
hey
00:38:38
Scott Hill
Not only you doing sport.
00:38:39
Michael Dhulst
Well, that's well that's that's exactly what we're doing.
00:38:41
Scott Hill
Sorry.
00:38:42
Michael Dhulst
is And it's I think it's, it is unique to still find, that's, that's, ah say the opportunity and the challenge for us right to find the cities that want to host something. right Because what we also see is that a lot of cities, they're like ah they they don't want the hassle anymore.
00:38:57
Michael Dhulst
right They're like, okay, we're needing to close close roads for for a triathlon. That's a bit it's a bit much. We don't want to do that and and and i don't get the support. But okay we have those cities that are supportive of that.
00:39:09
Michael Dhulst
And and and and the thing is, okay,
00:39:09
Scott Hill
Thank
00:39:11
Michael Dhulst
if i If I'm going to say to my wife and and kids, okay, we're going to travel to somewhere in the middle of nowhere because I'm going to do a triathlon, they're like, eh. But if I'm saying, oh, we go to Toulouse and there's great restaurants, we can do our shopping.
00:39:24
Michael Dhulst
and and and yeah You're in this city, right? It's it's a nice it's a destination as such. that that makes That makes it so much more attractive because you're They can hang out in the fan zone and and and and and for a few hours, but they can also go and have a nice restaurant or in a nice meal or or the cafes.
00:39:42
Michael Dhulst
Toulouse great for that, right? ah yeah it's it's ah Yeah, I think that's that's a very unique offering, and that's what we're kind of targeting, to find those cities who want to host a triathlon and where we have water also in the city, right, and and and can go for it.
00:39:55
Scott Hill
Yeah. Nice. It's nice. Bring a bit of culture to the sport as well, isn't it?
00:39:59
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:40:00
Scott Hill
That's good. Interesting.
00:40:02
Michael Dhulst
but i mean like i like i mean I think Toulouse will be our last mass participation event of this series um on the first weekend of October.
00:40:13
Michael Dhulst
and In France, i like previously we also had a professional event there. there was
00:40:20
Michael Dhulst
20, 30,000 people who come and spectate. It's packed. Everything is packed and people are cheering. And you have like, like in Tour de France, they have like the banners and the flags. And, and yeah, we had a, we had a super try to lose branded beer out, et cetera. It was, it was great atmosphere. It's, and, and the city, the city, they call it the pink city. It's it's a, it's a, I mean, I wasn't really aware of it before we started doing the event there, but I absolutely love the city now.
00:40:45
Scott Hill
Yeah, no that's interesting.
00:40:45
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:40:46
Scott Hill
So you get into obviously a bit of travel yourself. As the CEO of the sport, you're getting around these places.
00:40:49
Michael Dhulst
yeah
00:40:51
Scott Hill
and I guess, is that falling to...
00:40:52
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, I but make it a point to do every triathlon myself. So it's traveling with bike, going there, building the bike, getting out there and and doing the event and then kind of say, oh oh yeah, this is a fact this is a good course. i love this one.
00:41:07
Scott Hill
so I guess that's you... ah looking for the future and looking forwards then you're going out and you're doing a bit of reconnaissance on these different locations and stuff and seeing what fits super try as as a brand and seeing what it can offer and develop with so I guess it's an exciting time for you as a CEO then as well yeah
00:41:14
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:41:19
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:41:26
Michael Dhulst
yes I need to keep fit. I need to keep fit.
00:41:28
Scott Hill
yeah
00:41:28
Michael Dhulst
No, no. But it it is, it is, I think it is important. ah Authenticity is, I would say, right? Authenticity, for me, it is important. i mean, I don't only go and race, super try events or explore and try some other events, but I'll also drop in an Ironman event or a T100 event, right?
00:41:46
Michael Dhulst
and And do a bit of everything and just kind of be part of that community and and and continue to be racing, exploring and, and, and and yeah. and And, having it as a lifestyle.
00:41:54
Scott Hill
Yeah.
00:41:55
Michael Dhulst
I don't think, yeah, very much so.
00:41:57
Scott Hill
I get, you got a lot of, a lot of volunteers to carry your bags for you as well.
00:41:57
Michael Dhulst
Very much so.
00:42:01
Michael Dhulst
ah Typically, I like to go and and kind of go undercover and stand there with the swim cap up in the and the in the start waves and then you hear that you hear everything that's going on. That's that's the best moment.
00:42:13
Scott Hill
Yeah. Yeah. In the thick of it there as well. So it guess obviously well fit with the feedback from stuff like that, i mean, that's um that's feedback in its own right, isn't it? If you're if you're in the mix with everyone else and you know you feel that vibe and the buzz, that's ah like instant, immediate feedback for yourself.
00:42:30
Scott Hill
So you know it's but you know it's real, isn't it, what people are feeling from it.
00:42:30
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:42:34
Scott Hill
And I guess you touched on a number there of 8,000 athletes racing some of these events.
00:42:34
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:42:41
Scott Hill
And you know you mentioned 30,000 spectators in Toulouse there.
00:42:41
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:42:45
Scott Hill
That's phenomenal. you know if you think about if If one racer takes with them their you know what's say their partner and a child, for example, that's the future of the sport right there. Are you capped at a ah limit of how many people can race some of these races?
00:43:04
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, I think in Blenheim, like as I said, we just we just kind of went over the 5,000. We can get it to 7,000, 7,500. That's where we will cap it for for safety, right? Because we we remain we do loops, as we as we said, right? We do loops on the palace grounds.
00:43:22
Michael Dhulst
The opportunity then is is kind of add an extra day, right? That's that's what the opportunity is in Blenheim. Definitely possible. so But yeah, for the moment, it is it's... Yeah, we...
00:43:34
Michael Dhulst
For the moment, it it it will sell out and and and and yeah it will be it will be a good event. I think all ah all of the triathlons have ultimately ah limits, right? But I think, yeah, you just have to get in. You just have to get in. That's it.
00:43:52
Scott Hill
No, it's exciting. So um with I know with UK Tri Chat um and Super Tri Blenheim, this year going to be offering a competition slot as well for the race.
00:44:04
Scott Hill
So that will come out with this podcast and there will be an advert on there for people to follow. So there's potentially a bit of a well, there is a competition, a bit of a prize there for someone to win a slot and come and race along at Blenheim Palace as well.
00:44:16
Scott Hill
So that's quite exciting. It's exciting for us as a triathlon channel trying to share the sport.
00:44:18
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:44:22
Scott Hill
and it's exciting for for Super Triad Bend and Palace as well. So we're really looking forward to to sharing that across our channels in conjunction with yourselves and excited to see that we'll have a listener that will be racing Super Triad Bend and Palace alongside all of these amazing athletes, potentially 7,000 of them.
00:44:30
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:44:35
Michael Dhulst
Yeah.
00:44:38
Michael Dhulst
Yeah, but i'm I'm very convinced it will be 7,000 and potentially one who does more than eight over the weekend. That is that is even more exciting. Yeah, but I think indeed it's it's a fantastic opportunity and and there will be some of the best athletes in the world will be there.
00:44:54
Michael Dhulst
So it's ah it's a great to race, to challenge yourself, but also to hang around with the community, meet new friends who are into it and and just kind of Be part of that.
00:45:05
Michael Dhulst
Make triathlon part of your journey. right I think its ah that is fantastic.
00:45:09
Scott Hill
Yeah. So I guess for all the listeners then today then is just, Remember that everyone starts somewhere. It doesn't matter if it's your first triathlon, you're starting to develop in the sport or you're high performing looking for podiums or even a ticket to one of the ah the elite races you've got around the world as an elite racer, then Super Triath has got so much to offer.
00:45:31
Scott Hill
Every single athlete out there, come along, you know join in with friends and family, even if you're just spectating and follow along our channels and hopefully have a slot, win a slot through the competition itself. I'd just like to thank yourself, Michael, for coming on and speaking to us today as the CEO of SuperTri. It'll be great to speak again in the future and watch and listen to what you've got developing in within the sport, especially going from eight events to potentially 20 the next three years. that's That's going to be exciting itself for you, but obviously for everyone else out there within the community. So we'd be we'd really love to speak to you again in the future if that's okay with you.
00:46:07
Michael Dhulst
would love that Scott. i would love that.
00:46:09
Scott Hill
Perfect. Well, thank you very much, Michael, for speaking to us today. Again, thank you to all the listeners for for tuning in and listening to another episode of UK Tri Chat with myself. Do look out for the competition that you'll see come soon along with this, and hopefully we'll see you at Blenheim Palace with Michael and the other 7,000-plus elite athletes racing.