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Two days, 25 Olympians, 375million global viewers, and one gruelling race… Super League is set to return to the island for five more years after the States signed off on a £1.25m contract.
The race – a spectator-friendly twist on the traditional triathlon – was thought to have drawn in around 2,000 visitors to the island who spent around £800,000 when it first hit Jersey last September.
As previously reported by Express, the feedback left Economic Development Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham keen to bring the race back to island shores.
But he was left with some concern that other countries with “bigger budgets than us” might compete for the contract.
Now it’s been confirmed that the States’ bid was successful to keep the race in Jersey. It will now return each year from 2018 to 2022 as part of an even bigger ‘Jersey Sports and Entertainment Festival’.
Video: What is Super League Triathlon?
Senator Farnham explained: “Last year’s event was a spectacular success and had a positive economic benefit for Jersey. I am really looking forward to welcoming Super League Triathlon back to Jersey and the plans for SLT Jersey 2018 are even more ambitious and promise to deliver a weekend of world class sport. Jersey provides a unique and beautiful location alongside an enthusiastic welcome and a digital infrastructure, which means we can provide fantastic coverage of the event to the whole world. I look forward to working with Super League to grow and develop the event in the years ahead.”
Chief Executive Officer of Super League Triathlon, Michael Dhulst, commented: “This partnership will drive global awareness and bring audiences from all over the globe to Jersey, bringing the British Channel Island to the forefront as a top destination for sports tourism and endurance sport events. We are delighted to be working with the Department for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Visit Jersey and Locate Jersey for the next five years so we can continue to bring our world-class, action-packed event to Jersey for everyone to enjoy.”
Keith Beecham, Visit Jersey Chief Executive, added that he was “confident” that event would secure even more visitors for the island, “staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, and experiencing #theislandbreak.”
What you need to know about Super League
VIDEO: Champagne-soaked conclusion to Super League Triathlon
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