Jenson Button Trust Triathlon Announce Closed Road Cycle Route

Jenson Button Triathlon Photograph

The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon are excited to announce that for the first time in the event’s history, competitors will race along closed city roads as part of the cycle route, making it one of a very limited number of UK triathlons that have a closed road city centre cycle route.

On the news the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion said;

“This is huge and exciting news for the Triathlon, it really marks the event moving to the next level. Once again we have been overwhlemed with the help and support of Derby City Council and local residents. The closures will create a fast flowing course that should be a real thrill for all competitors and spectators. It will be fun to be racing on a street circuit!”

The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon Event Director Freddie Cunningham said;

“Having run the event previosuly on a closed estate this really does show how much bigger the 2015 Triathlon will be.  We are very grateful to the Council and Huub Events for creating such an exciting prospect for all those involved.

 To be one of the limited number of UK based triathlons that operates on closed city roads is fantasitc and we are really pleased our competitors, wether profesional, amatuer or first timer, will be given the chance to experince the buzz of city centre racing.” 

Roads along the cycle route will be closed from 8.45am and 4pm.  These include Markeaton Lane, Kedleston Road, Queen Street, Iron Gate, St Mary’s Gate, Jury Street, Walker Lane, Cathedral Road and Garden Street.

Full details have been published in consultation with Derby City Council with businesses and venues contacted so that they can make alternative arrangements.

Competitors will start the Triathlon with a 200m swim in Markeaton Park lake. They will then swiftly change into cycling gear and head out of the Park onto Markeaton Lane on a 10km circular route along Kedleston Road to Five Lamps and around the Cathedral Quarter.

Back at the Park, they will then complete a 2.5 km run. Individuals and three-person teams will have the opportunity to race twice – once in the morning and once in the afternoon. In the individual event, the top performers will go on to the final, 400m swim, 20km cycle (twice around the cycle stage) and 5km run, with the runners up entering the wooden spoon race.

Dean Jackson, Head of Derby-based HUUB Events who are staging the event on behalf of the Jenson Button Trust added:

“We are working hard to contact and consult with as many businesses and organisations as we can along the route to give them as much notice as possible.

“Bringing this high-profile event to Derby is great news for the city and I hope that everyone on and around the route will take advantage of their birds-eye view of the action.

“We expect that spectators will come out in force to line the route in cheer on Jenson and all the triathlon competitors so there are obviously good opportunities for businesses in the area to benefit from the event.

“Entry to Markeaton Park is free to watch the other triathlon stages and enjoy the festival atmosphere in the Event Village.  Therefore I hope that visitors and local people alike will make a day of it and get involved in this very special sporting spectacular.”

The announcement was welcomed today by Derby Cathedral Quarter.

Martin Langsdale, chair of the Cathedral Quarter, which drives forward activities under the area’s Business Improvement District BID status, said: “The Cathedral Quarter is a bustling destination of a Sunday with a number of shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants open for business.

“We will be communicating with the businesses to inform them of the road closures and I hope that people take the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of the cycling stage of the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon in this, the heart of the city centre.”

Derby Cathedral Chapter Steward Rachel Morris added: “Derby Cathedral are delighted to be on the route and closely involved in such a spectacular event.

“Sundays are a busy day for us but we look forward to welcoming visitors into this area of the City and enjoying the thrill of such a high profile competition.

“We plan to join in with the festival atmosphere, ring our bells and encourage all to take advantage of this event happening in our city.”

There are still some spaces available for the individual triathlon and the Team Challenge, sponsored by Midlands business advisors and accountants Smith Cooper.

For more information and to register for the event, please visit www.jensonbuttontri.com and, for latest news and training tips, please follow on Twitter @JBTrustTri

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