Olympic Visit, A Fresh New Website, and Sporting Sociability
The Holten Triathlon Foundation presented its program for the 34th edition. Warming up for the Holten Triathlon 2018. Sponsors and partners of the Holten Triathlon Foundation experienced a surprising event presentation with an Olympic touch on Thursday afternoon at the Kulturhus Holten.
Carlijn Achtereekte as Sidekick
To the great delight of those present, gold medalist Carlijn Achtereekte appeared in the sports café. The Olympic skating champion from Lettele acted as the sidekick to presenter Laurens Jan Stam. During a short introduction, Achtereekte mentioned she was familiar with the Holten Triathlon. She once cheered on her neighbor. She has never participated though. “Maybe I’ll do it someday,” the skater responded sportingly. “I’ve just started running. I can cycle well. It’s just the swimming, I’m a bit hesitant about. So I need training for that.” For Carlijn, there’s no other choice but to step up her game. She was given a wildcard. Whether she will participate, she could not yet say. “I’m not saying no yet. If I’m there, there’s a chance I’ll participate in Holten,” she answered laughing. Achtereekte can join 300 other international top athletes on Saturday, June 30, as stated by the foundation’s chairman Martin Pieters. With a field of over 1700 athletes, the Holten sports festival can be counted among the biggest triathlon events in the Netherlands. “And we’re extremely proud of that. The 34th edition in Holten counts towards the qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Many athletes will want to earn the necessary points here.”
1st Division
As an organization, we are just below the level of the European Championships. In addition, we have the 1st Division on the program. This allows us to welcome even more participants. We are super happy about that as well.” Pieters describes the two-day sports festival as a mix of athleticism and entertainment, starting on Friday with the Rabokids Triathlon and the Vivera Run. Saturday’s program includes the European Premium Cups, 1st Division, company teams, Olympic, and eighth distances. Ending with a spectacular finale featuring live music at the Kalfstermansweide. The organization is also proud of the revamped website, logo, and app launched Thursday; accessible for participants, spectators, and volunteers. The 34th edition of the Holten Triathlon takes place on Friday, June 29, and Saturday, June 30.
