Islay Volunteer Development Project

The senior Islay Triathlon has been organised by the community-run Mactaggart Leisure Centre since 1993, two years after the swimming pool was first opened. In the last 3 years it has also incorporated a Schools’ Triathlon for both Primary and Secondary School children on Islay and Jura, which is delivered in conjunction with Active Schools.

The senior Islay Triathlon consists of a 0.5 mile swim, 7.5 mile cycle and a 2.5 mile run. The distances are deliberately shorter than most triathlons to encourage maximum participation by those who would not normally consider themselves triathletes. There is also the Islay Schools’ Triathlon, which has been a huge success in encouraging young people to try a new sport and be more active. The distances for this race are 250m swim, 5.5km cycle, and a 1.5km run to make it as accessible as possible to all ability levels. The first event in 2008 involved 15 pupils in P5-P7, all competing as teams. In its second year this was extended to include individuals and teams from S1 and S2, and an impressive 48 children took part. The success of the Schools’ Triathlon has also had the effect of more high school pupils entering the Senior Triathlon.

Both events rely heavily on volunteers. The organisers work with the Islay Volunteer Development Project who uses the event to encourage potential volunteers to try out volunteering for a day by experiencing a variety of tasks and meeting new people. For more information please visit www.islaytriathlon.wordpress.com