Since the joining of the Challenge Family by the Holland Triathlon in January this year, the former Holland Triathlon has been in an upward spiral. Amongst other, the organisation is expecting participants from 35 different countries and she is happy to announce that Europe’s oldest triathlon will be broadcasted on Dutch national television. RTL7 will broadcast two 30-minute race reports on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of September.
The Almere-based media company 1:1 Producties will follow the race with no less then 5 cameras. “The images we record are projected immediately in the finish stadium,” says director Erwin Beenhakker, “this increases the experience in the finish area. After the event two 30-minute programs will be made which are broadcasted by RTL7. “The first episode is about the final of the Lotto Premier League triathlon, where the Dutch triathlon top is battling for the win in this competition. “This is a spectacular race, where 4 athletes in relay subsequently race a supersprint triathlon”, according to Race Director Richard Belderok, “the second episode will fully focus on the Long Distance race, which is now organised for the 31st time in Almere”.
“It is great news that the triathlon is ‘back’ on national television”, says director Rembert Groenman on behalf of the Dutch Triathlon Union. “On the one hand a lot of people will still remember the legendary triathlon broadcasts from the AVRO, on the other hand we see the development of the sport in the modern Premier League. Old meets new!”. The triathlon sport is rapidly increasing in popularity, the last six months the national triathlon union has already grown by 5% in number of members.
photo: Erwin Beenhakker (r) and race director Richard Belderok (m) shake hands after signing the broadcast agreement. On the left commercial director Jort Vlam showing the contract.