Hardly a surprise – study shows triathletes want to return to racing
Survey finds triathletes feel training is important for health and wellbeing
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Ironman
Multisport Research has released the findings of a new study “into athlete motivations during the current COVID-19 crisis,” and comparing the information with studies done last April and June.
Surprise of all surprises, the study found that there is a “desire to return to racing coming through from respondents, even with some concern around safety at events.” The study, based on 2,616 responses, also found that:
- Concern about the health impacts of COVID-19 went down last June, but have risen back to the April levels in the latest study.
- 98% of those surveyed “see their training regime as being important for their health and wellbeing.”
- Keeping up with training to achieve event goals was important for 81% of the respondents.
- Even more surveys (83%) expect to race this year with 68% feeling they’ll race by the spring or summer of this year.
- Most people don’t want to travel very far to race. About one third (32%) say they want to stay within 50 km of home to race, while 35% say they’ll travel 160 km for a national event. Less than 10 % say they’d travel internationally.
- Athletes say they’d accept some sort of price increase to be able to race (70%).
- More than half the respondents (60%) did a virtual run during lockdown, with 46% having done a virtual bike event.
- In terms of spending, “47% have reduced their expenditure on endurance sport gear due to the pandemic and a reduction in opportunities to race. Post Covid, 27% expect to increase on normal gear spending levels. 53% expect their endurance gear spending to return to normal levels.”