Eyeing a Media Breakthrough, World Triathlon Launches Dramatic Original Series

Good morning everyone,

Happy Fourth of July to our American readers! Here at Tempo HQ we spent the morning at a 5k up north in Fort Collins, Colorado. The vibes were high with some quality elite races and even an appearance from George Washington himself! (5k time unknown).

And in the evening, a BBQ with some friends. I hope you had a great day with some training and quality time with family and friends!

• Also a quick correction from last edition. We mistakenly identified the athlete in our reel as Dan Snyder, not Brad Snyder.

In today’s edition:

• 📽️ World Triathlon eyes media breakthrough with dramatic original series.

• 🚴 The hottest new triathlon tech from Eurobike.

• 🥞 And what should you eat before a big race?

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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ONE BIG THING

In a Bid for Media Breakthrough, World Triathlon Launches Dramatic Original Series

What is it: World Triathlon, the international governing body for the sport, has released the initial episodes of its first original streaming series, Dare to Dream. 

• The series follows 14 triathletes as they fight tooth and nail to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Main characters: The athletes who are profiled include past Olympic gold medalists, World Champions, and rising stars such as;

• Flora Duffy (BER) - Olympic gold medalist, world champion

• Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) - Olympic gold medalist, world champion

• Taylor Knibb (USA) - 70.3 World Champion, Olympic silver medalist

• Alex Yee (GBR) - Olympic silver medalist

• Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) - WTCS winner, Olympic medal favorite

• Gwen Jorgensen (USA) - Olympic gold medalist

• And many more…

Captivating storylines: World Triathlon spent six months following the athletes around the world and the series reveals the incredible highs and the devastating lows experienced during the arduous qualifying campaign. Two episodes in, a theme of overcoming serious injury has emerged.

• World Champion Flora Duffy revealed how she missed the entire 2023 season, and almost wasn’t able to return.

• Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee also shed light on serious injuries and crashes that almost derailed their careers.

Tempo’s take: It’s awesome to see World Triathlon take on an initiative like this, and the timing ahead of the Olympics is the perfect opportunity to bring more awareness to the athletes and their journeys to the games.

• In a fractured media environment, it is existential for World Triathlon to have this kind of original streaming-first programming.

It’s no coincidence that the popularity of Formula One exploded after the Drive to Survive series made its Netflix debut in 2019. Liberty Media (the owners of F1) turned a 70-year-old motorsport competition into a racing soap opera with thrilling on and off-course drama.

• This model has now been applied to other sports like Golf (Full Swing), Tennis (Break Point), Cycling (Tour de France Unchained), and most recently, Track and Field (Sprint) who are all hoping the massive distribution of streaming platforms can help grow thier audiences and drive new revenue.

Dare to Dream isn’t on Netflix, but you can watch it on World Triathlon’s streaming service triathlonlive.tv, and crucially, it’s available to watch for free on YouTube.

• If the series can draw significant views and engagement, then World Triathlon will be able to create more value for current and future commercial partners. Which, according to an insider, is one of its major goals.

So far, Dare to Dream is more of a slow burn, but we’re expecting to see plenty of drama as they start to move the series towards the make-or-break Olympic qualification races.

How to watch: Episode one and episode two are available now, and the next six episodes will air biweekly ahead of the upcoming Olympic triathlon races.

FAVORITES

🚴 Triathlon tech: Eurobike, one of the biggest global cycling tradeshows, is where some of the hottest tech in the cycling and triathlon world is finally released to the public. This video gives you insider access to some of the most innovative gear. Our top picks? The electric pump from Topeak, carbon-neutral tires, and an incredible click valve! [GTN]

🥞 Race-winning breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day…and for your race! This article outlines key considerations for race day breakfast so you can nail your big event. The main takeaway? Carbs are king! [My Sports Science]

🚰 Olympic water quality: Recent water quality tests in the Seine have shown significant improvements with bacteria concentrations below legal thresholds six out of nine days between June 24th and July 2nd. Great news for fans of triathlon! Duathlon officials have yet to comment…[RNZ]

💸 Insurance insanity: Skyrocketing insurance rates across the globe aren’t skipping triathlon as new British Triathlon insurance rules bar international athletes from competing unless they get their own personal liability coverage of at least £5million.

🥕 World-class fueling: Taylor Knibb is one of the best triathletes in the world, and part of her success is her dedication to exceptional fueling. This podcast episode provides incredible insight into how a world champion fuels, with key takeaways for the rest of us! [Feisty Tri]

TOGETHER WITH TRIHARD

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REEL TIME

This is a speedy way to rip around those buoys! 🏎️

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YOU SAID

Tempo readers had incredible insight into whether they think Challenge Roth is heir to the Kona throne. IRONMAN take note, the people have spoken!

RACE WEEKEND

Challenge Roth

Anne Haug (GER), Magnus Ditlev (DEN), and Patrick Lange (GER) highlight this incredible World Championship-calibre field in one of the most iconic races in the sport!

Watch live: Watch the free Roth livestream from 6:15AM CET on July 7th!

Other Pro races 👇

World Triathlon World Cup Tiszaujvaros, Hungary

QUICK NEWS

Supertri franchise alert: The fourth and final franchise in the upcoming Supertri season has been revealed - Brownlee Racing - which is owned by the iconic British brothers and will feature many top athletes including Olympic favorites Beth Potter and Alex Yee. [Supertri]

Roth rage: Ahead of the 40th edition of Challenge Roth, the event organizer Felix Walchshöfer took aim at IRONMAN for recent mistakes and poor leadership. [Triathlon Magazine]

Morro problems: After brutal tides forced over 300 athletes to DNF the swim at IRONMAN 70.3 Morro Bay, it appears the corporation has canceled the 2025 edition. [KSBY]

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• After recent high profile deaths, how safe are triathlons?

• Why Spirulina, and other legal performance enhancers, will make you faster!

• Why this performance psychologist wants you to celebrate the small wins.

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• Challenge Roth’s championship ambitions. Plus: Long run mistakes you might be making!

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