Corporate warriors feel the heat in Nissan Corporate Triathlon

The Nissan Corporate Triathlon National Series allows employees from different parts of a business to compete together. Photo: Lucs Wroe

Productivity was slower than normal in offices around Melbourne this morning after close to 5000 workers competed in the first event of the Nissan Corporate Triathlon National Series on Sunday.

The 400m swim, 10km bike leg, and 4km run were held in hot conditions at Melbourne’s Elwood beach. Temperatures reached 30 degrees on the course.

National marketing manager for Coles Express Kirsten Romanin says many of the 18 Coles Express staff members who took part found the heat a big challenge.

Despite this, she says the event provided a welcome opportunity for people to come together from different parts of the business.

“All morning people have been talking about it,” Romanin says.

“It’s created quite a bit of positive buzz around the office.”

Director of Page Personnel Alexander Thompson says he “almost drowned” in the swim.

Competitors cross the line in the SuperSprint Nissan BRW Corporate Triathlon Series in Melbourne.Photo: Lucas Wroe

“We have had a couple of people not come to work today due to heat stroke and a few others hobbling around the office,” Thompson says.

Sixty-nine staff and associates from the Michael Page group took part.

“For some it is the only exercise they do for the year but others take it quite seriously,” Thompson says.

Attrition rates at corporate triathlons are high; about 15 per cent of competitors typically fail to finish.

Event organiser and director of SuperSprint David Hansen says a similar proportion of people pulled out of yesterday’s event but he is unaware of any serious health scares.

“No one was treated for dehydration, which is fantastic,” Hansen says.

BRW has been a sponsor of the 27-year-old event for the past 26 years. Between 800 and 900 people took part in the first BRW triathlon in Melbourne.

Competitors and spectators braved hot conditions for the Melbourne race.Photo: Lucas Wroe

It has since become the biggest corporate triathlon in the world.

The Sydney event takes place in two weeks on what Hansen describes as “the most spectacular course in the world”.

Nissan Corporate Triathlon National Series 2013 calendar:

• Melbourne: Elwood, VIC, 400m swim / 10km cycle / 4km run, Sunday 17 February 2013
• Sydney: Royal Botanic Gardens, NSW, 300m swim / 8km cycle / 3km run, Sunday 3 March 2013
• Adelaide: West Lakes, SA, 300m swim / 9km cycle / 3km run, Sunday 24 March 2013
• Perth: Langley Park, WA, 400m swim / 10km cycle / 4km run, Sunday 14 April 2013
• GoldCoast: Douglas Jennings Reserve, QLD, 400m swim / 10km cycle / 4km run, Saturday 4 May 2013

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