Blenheim Palace Triathlon bought by Brownlee-backed Supertri
Supertri, the triathlon brand that’s home to Team GB stars Jonny Brownlee and Alex Yee, has acquired the Blenheim Palace Triathlon.
The Blenheim Palace Triathlon is the UK’s biggest swim-bike-run race, featuring around 7,000 competitors, and takes place on a Unesco World Heritage Site.
It means that Supertri now owns two of the world’s five biggest triathlons, along with the Chicago Triathlon, which attracted a record 8,000 participants last month.
Supertri has also acquired the New Jersey State Triathlon as it looks to expand its portfolio to 50 mass participation races in the US and Europe.
“Blenheim Triathlon is a fantastic event that I have been lucky enough to race and to win in the past,” said Jonny Brownlee, who competes with Yee in Supertri’s professional league.
“It’s one of the most iconic races in the UK, with a huge number of participants and is in an incredible setting in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
“I’m delighted that Supertri has acquired the event. They are doing so much to develop triathlon and to get more people interested in the sport both with their professional racing and their mass participation events and I am sure they will grow this event further and it will have a huge impact on the sport in the UK.”
It comes as Supertri continues to work on a $65m fundraise to finance its expansion. It is in talks with private equity, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth individuals, and is targeting a $650m valuation by 2030.
What is Supertri?
Supertri triathlons last 1.5-3 hours on short, city centre courses and are aimed at first-timers as well as seasoned athletes.
“Our vision is to build the leading global brand for short-course triathlon – one that stands for quality, great race experiences, and strong community connections,” said Supertri co-founder and CEO Michael D’hulst,
“Blenheim and New Jersey deliver exactly that and represent everything we want our brand to stand for. These acquisitions advance Supertri’s plan to build a global calendar, which already includes landmark races such as the Chicago, Long Beach, Toronto, and Kerrville Triathlons.
“Athletes racing in Blenheim and New Jersey will also become part of Supertri’s wider ecosystem – connected year-round through community, content, training pathways, and the organisation’s Esports platform.”