Team TRI UK – gaining one of the biggest triathlon sponsors in the UK



Helen Russell and Melanie Ryding



My knees are still quaking even now. I felt shocked and stunned when I got the e-mail from Ali, team manager, saying yes, you’re in, back at Christmas time. It has been one of the hardest secrets to keep for a long time!

At the end of my first triathlon season on team GB, I was broke. I had to sell my motorbike and max out the credit card in order to afford the trip to Australia for the World Championship grand final. As an age group triathlete, even if you compete for your country, all the costs related to international travel and competition are down to the individual athlete. There is no financial support, you have to find your own.

As you can imagine, in this climate, finding sponsors is a very tough game. People are not interested in you unless there is (understandably) something you can give them in return. I decided to look at it like a job interview. I put together my resume, grew a brass neck, and asked absolutely everyone I could think of, local, internet based and otherwise, if they were interested in sponsoring me. I got many many knock backs, but didn’t let this deter me.

I saw the advert for Tri UK – they were looking for team applications. To be honest, I dismissed the whole idea because I had already asked similar race teams (Primera, for example) and been turned down. I didn’t think I was good enough for such a major team. Then I got a little nudge from a fellow athlete friend, Helen Russell, who suggested that I apply. I thought ‘what the heck, there’s nothing to lose is there?’ and sent it in.

Months and months went past, and I assumed that I had not been successful. Oh well, no surprise there then. When suddenly, in December I got the email from the team manager:

Many thanks for your recent e-mail enquiring about TRI UK sponsorship for the 2011 race season.

I have now gone through all the CV’s that were sent to me and have made my final selections and have now come up with my final sponsored race Team for 2011.

I am please say inform you that you have been successful with your application and Chris and I would like to welcome you to the 2011 TRI UK Race Team.
Congratulations once again – and welcome!

No words can describe how I felt when I first read this. I was so, so amazed, and had to read it over again! Not only that but later, I discovered I was even more lucky, and was awarded a team bike, which only certain team members get. Here it is, beautiful yes? I’m flabbergasted!

I look back at my story so far, and think to myself, I have achieved quite a lot, that must be it for me now, there’s nothing more to be done?

No! Here starts another chapter in my amazing roller coaster journey through triathlon. I was proud to call myself a triathlete, after that first race, I was even prouder to call myself a GB triathlete when I earned my country’s colours in 2009, 2010 and 2011, but to now be able to say that I am sponsored by the biggest race team in the UK and the world’s largest triathlon store is quite an amazing thing to put on my C.V.

I would like to sincerely thank Ali and Chris, along with the rest of the staff in the Tri UK store for giving me this amazing opportunity.

I will be sure to do you all proud.