Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Grace Uí Niallais, has welcomed the city’s hosting of two major sports events this weekend.
The Europe Triathlon Cup and Waterside Half Marathon will share the same race village in Ebrington Square this weekend and bring elite international athletes and thousands of participants to the city.
The Triathlon Cup, hosted by North West Triathlon Club, takes place on Saturday September 5th, with athletes from more than 20 countries, including New Zealand, South Africa, the United States, Australia and across Europe, registered to participate.
The following day, Sunday September 6th, more than 4,000 runners will take part in the sold-out Waterside Half Marathon, hosted by Derry City and Strabane District Council.
Mayor Uí Niallais said the two events would showcase the city as a host of international sports events and encouraged residents and visitors to come out and support the competitors.
“I’m delighted that our city will host two major sporting events on the same weekend, bringing athletes and spectators from across the world to our city.
“The Europe Triathlon Cup is a tremendous opportunity to showcase Derry on the global stage, with some of Europe’s leading triathletes competing alongside athletes from right across the globe.
“The Waterside Half Marathon will then see thousands of runners take to our streets, creating an incredible atmosphere around the riverfront and at the finish line in Ebrington Square.
“I would encourage everyone to come out and create that special Derry event atmosphere for all the athletes and runners.”
The organisers of both events have issued detailed traffic and travel advice for anyone travelling in and around the city over the weekend and Mayor Uí Niallais urged motorists to familiarise themselves with the arrangements to keep disruption to a minimum.
“Two large-scale events taking place on consecutive days means there will inevitably be some temporary road closures and traffic restrictions,” she added.
“I would urge residents, businesses and visitors to plan ahead, familiarise themselves with the traffic and travel arrangements and, where possible, consider alternative routes and allow extra time for their journeys.”
The Europe Triathlon Cup will see elite junior and senior athletes compete on a scenic city-centre course incorporating the River Foyle, Ebrington Square and the city’s quayside.
The event will feature four Europe Triathlon Cup races alongside the Triathlon National Series Sprint and City of Derry Aquabike age group races.
The Waterside Half Marathon will then take centre stage on Sunday, with the record field of more than 4,000 runners setting off from Ebrington Square at 9.30am.
Aisling McCallion, Festival and Events Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, said preparations were going well for the 43rd staging of the event.
“We’re really looking forward to welcoming over 4,000 runners to Derry for what will be our biggest ever Waterside Half Marathon,” she said.
“The demand for places has been remarkable, with the event selling out three months in advance, and we’re delighted to see the event continue to grow.
“The two-wave start will help us safely manage the increased numbers, with runners expecting to complete the course in under two hours setting off in Wave One at 9.30am, followed shortly afterwards by Wave Two.
“We’ve put in a significant amount of planning into the event and are working closely with our partners to minimise disruption.
“We would encourage everyone travelling around the city on Sunday morning to check the traffic and travel arrangements in advance, allow extra time and follow the instructions of police, stewards and race marshals.”
Temporary road closures, lane restrictions and traffic diversions will be in place at various times on Saturday to facilitate the Europe Triathlon Cup, particularly during the cycling sections of the races.
On Sunday, further temporary traffic restrictions will be required for the Waterside Half Marathon, with runners travelling through the city and surrounding areas between approximately 9.30am and 1pm.
The public are encouraged to check the detailed traffic and travel arrangements for both events before travelling and, where possible, avoid affected routes during the busiest periods.
For full information on the Europe Triathlon Cup, including traffic and travel arrangements, visit codtriathlon.com.
For Waterside Half Marathon race information, including race instructions, route details and traffic and travel arrangements, visit derrystrabane.com/whm.
