Two leading multi-sport, mass participation events companies will join forces to create the UK’s largest and most diverse mass participation events company; owning and delivering over 55 events in triathlon, cycling, running, duathlon, aquathlon and open water swimming for over 100,000 participants of all abilities and ages.
Participate Sport and Human Race have merged to combine a highly prestigious portfolio of events including the Toshiba Windsor Triathlon, Cycletta, the Eton Triathlon Super Sprints, Festival of Sport Cornwall, Wiggle Dragon Ride, Etape Cymru, Off Road Winter Series, the Speedo Open Water swimming series and a partnership with the British 10k Run powered by Nike+.
The merged event portfolio now includes 16 triathlons, nine cycling events, 11 running events, 10 open water swims, seven kid’s events and one Festival of Sport. These events bring together an active community of over 100,000 people taking part in sporting events for reasons ranging from fitness, competition, charity, health, fun or to simply finish. The participants vary from nervous first timers from 8 to 80 through to World Champions. Collectively, the events raise millions of pounds for hundreds of charities.
Photo: Nick Rusling and John Lunt of Human Race
The two companies will unite under the highly esteemed brand name, Human Race, with an ongoing focus of delivering world class sports events and utilising their combined expertise and personnel to deliver events designed to inspire people throughout Britain to be fit and active. Human Race will work with a great range of sponsors and charities to help augment the competitor experience, including; Toshiba, Nike, Nuffield Health, Speedo, Sky and Red Bull.
The new Human Race CEO, Nick Rusling, will head up the company. Rusling was formerly CEO at Participate Sport and was also MD at IMG Challenger World, the company behind the London Triathlon, Blenheim Triathlon, Etape Caledonia and Run to the Beat. John Lunt, Founder of Human Race will remain fully involved on a senior and a strategic day-to-day basis. Lunt has also been the Event Director for some of the major triathlons in the UK; the Commonwealth Games Triathlon in Manchester 2002, ITU World Cups in Salford and is currently the Sport Manager for Triathlon in Hyde Park this summer.
Nick Rusling said: “The mass participation industry has grown exponentially over the past decade and the opportunity to combine ambitions and passion with John Lunt and his great team is incredibly exciting. A new era under the Human Race brand will continue to inspire thousands more people to get fit, active and healthy through our events in what I believe is the most exciting time for participation sport in history.”
John Lunt said: “The combined strengths of two great event delivery companies brings together a number of exciting benefits for our valued customers; the athletes, sponsors and partners. I am looking forward to staying fully involved and committed to help ensure we keep our passion and focus on delivering great Human Race events.”
More information on Human Race is available at www.humanrace.co.uk
