Club Profile
N.Y. Triathlon Club Triples Membership
By Lindsay Wyskowski
While triathlon continues to grow and gain new participants year after year, new athletes are looking for someone to train with, and many may turn to a local club. The CNY (Central New York) Triathlon Club recently has experienced a surge in its membership, jumping from nearly 200 members to more than 600 athletes in just one season.
The CNY Triathlon Club got its start in 1999, and the membership base for the club slowly grew to 100 members. At the end of the 2009 season, it was announced that a new race was coming to the area — the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Syracuse. With the addition of a new, local event as well as the return of an Irongirl race, there were more reasons for people in the area to try the sport of triathlon and some of those new triathletes became members of CNY Triathlon Club.
Club president Sam Sampere believes the club gains new members for a number of reasons.
“Newbies need the support — emotional, technical and training guidance,” Sampere said. “As you know, triathlon culture offers camaraderie unlike any other competitive sport, and I think that really helps draw new athletes and retain them.”
In addition to new races in the area, CNY Triathlon Club credits local shops with membership recruitment. For a fee, athletes can receive training from USA Triathlon certified coaches and can participate in club training sessions. Sampere credits the relationship with the local shops for boosting membership numbers, while admitting that marketing the club is not the main focus.
“People who are drawn to the sport find us,” Sampere said. “But with all our members, they find a way to find the nonmembers and encourage them to come.”
All ages and ability levels are welcome at CNY Triathlon Club, which currently has around 650 members ranging from ages 6-75.
Like most clubs, CNY offers benefits to its members, including club activities, races and training sessions. Throughout the summer season, the club offers Wednesday night training triathlons on the courses for the Irongirl and Syracuse 70.3 events, and group track workouts are offered on Mondays. For athletes looking to improve their cycling skills, the club has also partnered with Onondaga Cycling Club, which allows members to participate in a Tuesday night 10-mile time trial ride.
When members of the CNY Triathlon Club are looking for a fellow club member to join them for a training session, they can use the club’s email list, which allows them to organize their own training sessions. Sampere says it’s not uncommon for athletes to plan early morning swim practices or weekend group rides. Members also interact at informal club meetings every three months, which usually features topics like run mechanics or nutrition.
The 2011 season has brought more than new members to the club. CNY made the decision to provide more support to their youth members with the creation of the Tri Kids program. Youth members can meet two times each month to participate in a training triathlon, which allows them to practice race-day conditions in a stress-free environment.
The club also opened a new training facility in January. The Winter Training Facility is located at a local mall and is equipped with bike trainers – members bring their own bikes to train when there might be too much snow on the ground. In the next year, the club plans to expand the facility to include treadmills as well, and the facility is only open during the winter months, encouraging athletes to stay outside and enjoy local roads and trails in the summer.
Another popular attraction with members is the duathlon and triathlon training series held by the club starting in early May. The series started with duathlon events, but switched to triathlon events in early June to help members prepare for the races they are participating in throughout the summer.
No matter what a triathlete in central New York is looking for, they can find it with the CNY Triathlon Club. From educational and informational meetings to group swim, bike and run training to race-day support, CNY Triathlon Club provides a community for triathletes who are looking to take their multisport skills to the next level.
For more on CNY Triathlon Club, visit
http://cnytriathlon.org.
78 USA TRIATHLON SUMMER 2011
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