19
BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017

BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    4

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN

2013 – 2017

Page 2: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 2 v 4.0 October 2012

To promote excellence in our sport, and create opportunities for everyone to achieve their personal triathlon challenges

Table of Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2 Our Values ...................................................................................................................... 4 Partnership in Delivery .................................................................................................... 4 Growing the Sport ........................................................................................................... 4 The Strategic Framework for British Triathlon .................................................................. 6 Strategic Objectives ........................................................................................................ 9

Objective 1 - Delivering Excellent Performance ................................................. 9 Objective 2 – Raising the Profile of Triathlon ................................................... 11

Strategy in Action .......................................................................................................... 15 Milestones ..................................................................................................................... 19

Introduction

After a period of sustained growth and consistent performance, British Triathlon is seeking to use the platform created as a springboard for even greater success. We aspire to be a leading performer in every field of our sport delivery; the leading triathlon nation in every sense.

Page 3: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 3 v 4.0 October 2012

This plan sets out the strategy for the 4 year period from post the London Olympics and Paralympics to 2017 – post the Rio Games. This period will encompass a World Championships hosted in Hyde Park, London (2013) and a UK-based Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (2014), which now includes the triathlon men’s and women’s standard distance events, and also the first team relay championship in a senior multi sport Games. The over-arching objectives for British Triathlon on behalf of the sport remain the same – to deliver successful performance on the global stage and to raise the profile of the sport within the UK. This, it is hoped, will contribute to continued growth and popularity of the sport. The business model for growing the sport is the domain of our Home Nation triathlon partners in Scotland, England and Wales, but is underpinned by sustainability as a priority – both financial sustainability, resource sustainability (especially volunteer workforce) and environmental sustainability in line with the sport’s stated values. This plan reflects these delivery responsibilities, with the content presented in three major sections: Delivering Performance Pathways, Raising the Profile and Strategy in Action.

Page 4: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 4 v 4.0 October 2012

Our Values

Strategic growth will be supported fully by the way we do our daily business, represented by clear values. They govern how we do what we do. These values are summarised below:

Promote fair play

Respect

Develop consistency and transparency

Embrace change

Encourage high aspirations Celebrate success Environmentally Conscious

Partnership in Delivery

The development of the sport of triathlon and the associated multisports of duathlon, aquathlon and cross triathlon in Great Britain depend on a strong joined-up delivery from British Triathlon and our members: Triathlon England, triathlonscotland and Welsh Triathlon (the Home Nations). To support this, all four organisations have signed up to a common purpose and have developed linked purpose statements to underpin the overall strategic direction. Each of the Home Nations (HNs) has its own delivery plan, but an interdependent relationship to develop the sport is at the heart of all that we do. British Triathlon leads on building profile and developing pathways to performance and then delivers at the elite end of the performance continuum. The Home Nations lead on building the capacity to support growing participation and delivering the talent pathways that underpin development of performance.

However, partnership does not stop here. British Triathlon has established a number of critical business partnerships that have enabled us to deliver to a far higher level than our own resources would allow. This partnership working approach has also enabled the sport to focus on what we excel at and tap into other organisations’ expertise giving them the benefits of working on our modern, dynamic sport and ensuring that we minimise risk on some of the major projects. This philosophy of working with leaders in fields where British Triathlon cannot excel without great risk will continue to underpin this strategic plan.

Growing the Sport The growth of the sport of triathlon is delivered through clubs, regions, Home Nations, commercial event operators, in fact many bodies and groups of people working in cooperation to develop the sport. This continued growth is fed by the performance success and enhanced profile that is the primary objective for British Triathlon. In order to capitalise on this, we are all

Page 5: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012

working to support the creation of opportunities and removal of barriers so that existing participants can enjoy the sport more often and new participants can access the sport easily. British Triathlon, working in partnership with Home Nations, will work to ensure that capacity is such that we can facilitate the growth of the sport at every level from race marshal through referee, coach, and club administrator, to regional and national volunteers. Where possible, quality of resource provision and coherent pathways for all participants – athlete, coach or volunteer - regardless of geographic base will be supported by British Triathlon, working in agreement with the Home Nations. The focus will be on the twin objectives of volunteer recruitment through high quality support resources, and volunteer retention through well structured recognition opportunities and pathways for progression to the highest levels of deployment.

Page 6: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

The Strategic Framework for British Triathlon Strategic Objectives Outcome Objective Elements Measurement

Deliver Excellent Performance

Best performing nation (ITU competition); best prepared in Rio; improved developing athlete programme with higher talent conversion

Deliver World Class Programme to deliver Olympic and Paralympic event success Build our performance pipeline - in triathlon and paratriathlon, UK wide

Olympic/Paralympic performance Consistent year on year World Championship senior success in ITU events in triathlon and paratriathlon (stay #1) Team confidence in 2016 - evolution of teams (athlete feedback) Acknowledged strength in depth (World top 10) at U23/Junior Quantity and quality of paratriathletes on the programme, geographical spread and coaching infrastructure Athlete development vs profiles (percentage progression actual vs expected )

Develop coaching practice at elite/talent level to ensure continued British performance

Quality and number of British performance coaches Increase in numbers of Level 2 coaches progressing to Level 3 Depth of Level 3 and support coaches Number of British coaches working with World Class programme

Support ITU multisport racing at world level maintaining a strong relationship with our sport's performance ambassadors

ITU multisport medal table for each discipline Long distance – link to WTC events e.g. Ironman Exit strategies for current athletes branching out into multisport events

Deliver excellence in GB Age Group Team programme

International medal table

Page 7: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 7 v 4.0 October 2012

Raise the profile of Triathlon Top 5 sport in GB

Deliver ITU World Championships Grand Final in 2013

Viewed as a success by all stakeholders; TV viewing and spectator figures surpass current high (2011 WTS Hyde Park); ITU congress delivered to highest standard; event sets environmental benchmark Age Group success - bigger entry than recent events

Stage WTS leg in UK 2014-17

Continued attraction for sponsors/TV/venue; event profitably delivered Live TV coverage - audience size Spectators numbers Sponsorship sold, event financially attractive (no financial risk to BTF) Venue bidding/competition Positive athlete feedback - not just enjoyment Age Group athletes - % of GB athletes who win medals

Improve national competition framework by implementing 2011 Competition Review recommendations

British/HN Championships festivals delivered; very competitive events which attract record entry levels Financially sound (no risk to BTF) Attract partnerships - enables delivery Athlete feedback - on pathway impact of event

Raise the Profile of Triathlon Top 5 sport in GB

Promote triathlon through Televised National Series creating viable competition series to support our Performance Pathway

Confirmed programme (12 months in advance) at attractive venues Top level sponsor for the Series TV coverage secured Audience measures – slots – viewers Support from performance team developing athletes Participation measures – quantity, quality, elite/team Financially sustainable

Be considered one of the top 5 ‘not for profit’ sports in the UK

Funding agencies and government/local authorities desire to work with triathlon as key sport Passes person in street test (your hero, your sport to watch, your sport to play) Number of partnership approaches we receive Level of sponsorship revenue

Page 8: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 8 v 4.0 October 2012

Raise the Profile of Triathlon Top 5 sport in GB

Grow mainstream media coverage enabling Triathlon to become a sport known in households throughout the nation

Our athletes performances at international/GB level are regularly covered in mainstream media platforms (number of titles covering triathlon); Twitter hits Different types of media Number of athletes being covered/profiled Unique selling points understood. Identify more niche markets

To increase the triathlon fan base by maximising the use of social media

Evidence of effective campaign communications through these media Twitter hits Website hits Sale of merchandise Spectator increases (paying?)

Strategy in Action

Strong sustainable organisation that invites investor confidence, whilst having a significant influence on the sporting environments in which BTF operates

Influence international development and delivery of triathlon

BTF influencing input through representatives on decision-making bodies (exec Boards ITU/ETU) Analysis ETU/ITU key positions Have right people for those positions Degree of influence international development and delivery of triathlon Understanding of election cycles/key ITU/ETU dates 2013-2016 Employed staff with British background

Sustainable organisation to support sport beyond 2017

Green self assurance maintained; continued ability of organisation to perform in line with targets

Delivery underpinned by core values

Strong organisation ethos and culture reflecting values

Page 9: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

Strategic Objectives Objective 1 - Delivering Excellent Performance

This remains the most difficult of objectives to deliver on, with acknowledged success already on the performance stage and with Great Britain being the target for others to beat. There are four elements that will contribute to the success of this objective. The first is a strong world class programme, supporting the pathway to success for our triathletes at the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines; this may grow to encompass the Triathlon Mixed Relay in future championships, as the Commonwealth and ITU World Championships already recognise this event. The second is the development of British coaches to drive even higher performance standards and to stay ahead of the performance curve within this fast developing sport. The third element encompasses the breadth of our global sport, as we support world-leading British performers, who are ambassadors for the sport in Britain and abroad in non-Olympic disciplines of the sport. The fourth element is the unique age group international programme that offers the best age group triathletes the opportunity to compete at the ITU World championships Grand Final and other elite championship events.

WORLD CLASS PROGRAMMES With a clear Olympic/Paralympic medal focus and annual world championships to contest, this programme is unashamedly elitist. The continued success in producing athletes capable of winning medals on the global stage will be delivered through the following fundamental approaches;

1. We will find our talented future Olympic triathletes through both talent search initiatives (cross sport) and the pool attracted into Home Nation training and racing environments, and nurture these using evidence-based methodology matched against individual characteristics. This will ensure a pipeline of well-equipped triathletes, who demonstrate their ability and progression through their racing results. The programme will be training-centred but athlete focused.

2. We will support our Olympic-aspirant triathletes, who graduate onto the world stage, and deliver consistent medal zone performances in their category, with an athlete-centred programme that is built around the performer.

3. We will value the environment that a winning GB team, with strength in depth, can create.

4. We will support our Paralympic hopefuls with a talent nurturing programme in the first instance, developing into a performer support programme from 2014 onwards.

5. We will research and develop a programme for paratriathlon that is professional, robust and sustainable. The focus will be on processes for recruiting the right athletes, and on creating a high performance coaching team through recruiting and up-skilling coaches.

HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING Great Britain has grown the coaching capacity at the top of many sports and triathlon, as a relatively young sport, can benefit from the learning of fellow NGBs on the British performance

Page 10: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 10 v 4.0 October 2012

scene. Strong leadership from a core group of coaches working at the heart of the performance programme is critical to future development of coaching practice. Access to regular, high quality learning environments and an individualised programme of continued self-education and development are planned as part of a long term coaching strategy approved by the Board of British Triathlon in 2012. The broader coach education system will be driven from this core of excellence in coaching practice. Mentoring of coaches has been extended throughout the Home Nation coach education network in 2011; the opportunities to work with elite triathletes are dictated by the nature of the sport, so effective mentoring will have a limited impact on building a pool of coaches, who are both well-qualified, and who also benefit from the experiences of others.

MULTISPORT PERFORMANCE British athletes – particularly our elite women - have consistently proved that they can win world titles across all ITU and other commercially delivered global events. This success has often been achieved by athletes who have emerged through other British Triathlon programmes, e.g. World Class Programmes supporting Olympic performance or GB Age Group Teams. Once successful, they are often quite distant from the core performance programmes and an opportunity is lost to benefit from athlete mentors and to work with these excellent ambassadors for the sport of triathlon. This next period will see consultation and engagement with the current group of highly performing multisport triathletes to identify how British Triathlon can develop a coherent and positive relationship with this element of the GB performance team. Effective communication with a group, who are often training overseas, is important in unlocking the potential of this relationship.

GB AGE GROUP TEAMS GB Age Group teams lead the world by most measures and are the envy of other triathlon nations. However, this success brings its own challenges. The expectations of support for the team are high and we must ensure that our team administration meets and exceeds needs. More critically, the international competition environment – particularly at continental level - is dominated by a few nations of which GB is a significant player, so that some triathletes perceive their category to be less globally competitive than they would like. Triathlon is rightly proud of its heritage of recognising good-for-age performance, but there is much that needs to happen to continue to grow and promote this aspect of the sport. International influence is important in all aspects of performance sport, but there is a real and pressing need to encourage and support the ETU and ITU in promoting more nations’ participation in Age Group competition so that the all Age Group teams can derive even greater benefit from their international competitive experiences.

Page 11: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 11 v 4.0 October 2012

Objective 2 – Raising the Profile of Triathlon

EVENT OPPORTUNITIES

Delivery of the WTS Grand Final 2013 Successful delivery of the event will be measured by British athletes’ performance, global terrestrial TV coverage, sell out age group racing, and great spectator experience defined through attendance statistics and feedback. The event delivery will be environmentally conscious with clear targets, on budget and viewed by event sponsors and partners as great value, as well as achieving individual stakeholder targets. The ITU Congress will be integral to the event. ITU has announced that the WTS Grand Final has been awarded to British Triathlon in partnership with events company, Upsolut UK, for staging in London in 2013, with UK Sport and London and Partners funding also in place. Current gaps in the delivery objectives relate to final confirmation of the event delivery structure, the dates and schedule of the events, use of the venue (Hyde Park Corner access) and TV commitment (level of funding to support production costs). Delivery of a WTS Series race 2014 – 2017 Achievement of this element will be measured by the UK retaining a (profitable) Series race. Critical to the continued staging are the retention of an attractive venue for the age group and elite participants, terrestrial TV coverage which brings with it funding partners and sponsors. Both British Triathlon and Upsolut Sport UK are committed to delivery of an annual WTS Series Race. UK Sport has also pledged its support and has confirmed inclusion in the 2013-2018 UKS Major Events plans. London and Partners are also keen to retain the event in London and are investing in the 2013 Grand Final with this longer term objective in mind. A current gap lies in the engagement of The Royal Parks and other London agencies such as Transport for London. There continues to be strong interest from other potential hosting cities in Britian for a UK race in the series. Implementation of Recommendations from the 2011 Competition Review The focus for this next four years is the delivery of a sustainable annual BTF Triathlon Festival and a BTF Duathlon Festival, which will sit alongside successful Home Nation championships and create meaningful competition progression while setting up attractive event experiences for competitors, audience and sponsors. The BTF Board has approved the principle of the two festival weekends, narrowing the focus of the BTF Championships to create a weekend format that brings together elite, age group championships, paratriathlon, world championship qualifiers and possibly future relay format events. The proposals require the support of, and close cooperation with, the Home Nation triathlon organisations.

Page 12: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 12 v 4.0 October 2012

Continued delivery of a vibrant televised British events series British Triathlon will retain the rights to deliver two or three (depending on events calendar, locations, funding and venue options) BTF Super Series events. The location of the events may vary during the term according to budgetary restraints or new opportunities but the focus will remain on delivery of high impact triathlon racing in iconic locations or city centre environments – taking the sport to the people and providing a showcase for the British talent – both rising stars and established performers where the international competition calendar allows. Currently as part of the five event British Triathlon Super Series, British Triathlon is responsible for delivery of the Canary Wharf and Strathclyde events. The location for the British Triathlon-owned events 2013-2017 is not set in this strategy, although we are prepared to return to Strathclyde in 2013 as part of supporting the event testing programme for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Canary Wharf location has proved very popular due to both its location and the super sprint format. We will continue to seek locations that offer a great athlete experience, ideally in the super sprint format, and also attract high numbers of spectators due to the location/time of the day of staging.

EVENT CHALLENGES

There are a number of challenges to be overcome in order to deliver on this events programme. The biggest challenge for the delivery of major events always revolves around finding fantastic locations at a delivery cost that is both affordable and sustainable. For a NGB that aspires to continue to raise the profile of the sport, the delivery of televised events is an essential component. In order to mitigate the risk (financial and human resource), we will continue to pursue partnership working opportunities such as have been used to deliver the ITU WTS London leg in 2009-11. Resourcing this ambitious programme encompassing a global final plus a new format of British championship competition is dependent on the final delivery model agreed. A legacy of the Olympic Games is the enhanced pool of senior NTOs that can be used to support major event delivery, but there is still work needed to support the growth of this pool of officials so that national level competition can be well regulated and safely delivered. During this cycle, the BTF Board will need to revisit the Major Event strategy, identifying future bid opportunities and working with suitable hosting venues to develop opportunities in all ITU sport strands.

COMMUNICATION OPPORTUNITIES

Considered one of the top 5 ‘not for profit’ sports in the UK For us, this means being viewed as one of the most successful ‘teams’ in the UK and internationally through media/communications platforms. It also means being recognised as the most successful NGB by our peer group. We will promote triathlon as a healthy sport with world class athletes, robust, ethical governance, financial security and a bright future. Triathlon is a sport currently perceived as delivering successfully for its partners in the world of sport. The growth of the sport and the ability to deliver against the targets set in the last

Page 13: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 13 v 4.0 October 2012

strategic plan (2008) has, to date, been impressive. Continuation of this target-driven performance and the ability to step up a level again, is a critical element in being considered a world leading triathlon nation and one of the top five not for profit sports in the UK. Funding and support from partners, who have the resources to activate their investment and to work alongside triathlon and promote our message alongside theirs, will ensure even greater success in the next four year cycle. Growth of mainstream media coverage enabling triathlon to become a recognised sport in the nation’s households We aim to have our athletes’ performances in ITU World Triathlon Series events, major championships and Super Series races reported on, as standard practice, by key national media. British triathlete success should be reported irrespective of distance or format, e.g. Olympic, Ironman, Triathlon Mixed Relay. We will seek to retain and improve our position within the UK terrestrial TV market for the WTS races, Super Series events and identify new opportunities such as magazine shows. The association with triathlon should be seen as highly desirable and we will aim to attract sponsors who are ‘Household brands’ to add value. Success will mean members of the public will list triathlon as one of the top 5 sports they would like to watch at the Olympic Games.

Current media coverage is generated via a variety of routes, led by the inspirational or unique nature of the story. Triathlon is a sport brimming with success and great stories: our challenge over the next four years is to extract the best to our sport, and attract greater interest in triathlon. The education process regarding the actual sport of triathlon continues, but we need to bring the sport to life continually, both inside and outside the sports pages and broadcast media. Increase in the triathlon fan base by maximising the use of social media As a modern sport, we want facebook, twitter, our website and other new media to be used as key communication tools by the sport and the ever growing triathlon audience. With the launch of the new website and the more advanced technological interface, it is hoped that greater attention can now be given to social media opportunities – including twitter and facebook. Working with the home nations, and our partners and sponsors, we aim to engage triathletes from novice to elite. This will enhance our image as a modern and appealing sport, increasing our communication opportunities and points of contact.

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES

Triathlon will be presented with many opportunities within the period from 2013-2017, to activate the elements of the objective described above. As a small to medium organisation, our challenge is to select those opportunities with the highest impact. These will include:

Celebrity engagement and participation in triathlon

Promotion of our dynamic new formats such as Super Sprint and Sprint Relay

Page 14: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 14 v 4.0 October 2012

Promotion of major events such as the WTS Grand Final, Commonwealth Games triathlon, WTS Series Races and Canary Wharf triathlon – ensuring great spectator and media engagement

Promotion of the Paratriathlon story to Rio

Promoting triathlon in the community – via charity events and community engagement.

Raising the NGB profile through awards (e.g. Sports Industry Awards) and success of our organisation in delivering on its performance objectives

Optimising sponsorship activation and co-promotion through seeking mainstream brands as sponsors

Ensuring our brand represents our values and message

Ensuring our TV offering is of high value and attractive to broadcasters and sponsors (advertisers), enabling improved scheduling slots and increased interest in triathlon.

Achieving all this will continue to be a challenge as the sport grows and the interest in triathlon increases. Alongside British Triathlon communications, the Home Nations (particularly England) are successfully expanding their communications within the membership/participation base of the sport - through their website, facebook and membership promotions.

Page 15: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 15 v 4.0 October 2012

Strategy in Action

INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES British Triathlon has actively pursued an international influence strategy with representation across all the ETU/ITU committees and commissions. There has also been a focus on succession planning with five members of the Board having been accepted onto UK Sport’s International Leadership Programme (ILP) in the last plan cycle. We have continued to foster good practice and extend a welcome to other nations, not only to our British Triathlon Super Series and the ITU WTS 2009-2011, but also through staff meetings/hosted visits with Triathlon Ireland, Triathlon Australia, USA Triathlon, and Tri New Zealand. Our international coaching scholarships have been taken up by triathlon coaches from Serbia, Malta, Trinidad & Tobago and South Africa amongst international federations. The securing of the ITU World Championships unopposed in 2013 was a measure of British Triathlon’s standing in the international triathlon community.

INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES The last year has seen some emerging challenges in the international arena. Ill health meant Jem Lawson having to step down from the ETU Secretary General position and with the organisation already having lost its President in 2009 due to a sudden and early demise, the ETU was sorely stretched. This weakness finally culminated in an emergency resolution to change the ETU leadership with Britain playing a part through supporting Sarah Springman for the role of Vice President in the one year holding structure. The continued strength of a major continental confederation of which we are a member is both an opportunity and a threat. The international strategy for this next period has focussed on building even greater influence through successful re-election of a British Vice President of ITU and ensuring British candidate elections to technical, coaches and multisport committees. Our influence will continue to be based on a platform of strong governance and positive and effective contributions through credible candidates rather than seeking widespread presence. ITU continues to grow in stature in international sport, but sustainability of influence in an environment with elections across all key areas every four years remains a challenge. We will look at the use of broader British sport networks e.g. BOA, to increase influence at the highest levels. Development of future leaders will continue to be core to the programme; the ILP provides an excellent foundation but the experiences required to grow international influence need to be planned for and can take considerable time.

GOOD GOVERNANCE

British Triathlon believes that good governance is a key part of the sustainability and health of the sport. Our current governance structure, with equal Home nation voting in a federal model, whilst maintaining a wholly owned division to deliver Triathlon in England, is unusual in British sport, but has proved very effective as the sport has grown and succeeded. A review of the British Triathlon Board structure and roles has been completed and will result in proposed changes to the Constitution at the 2012 AGM.

Page 16: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 16 v 4.0 October 2012

In other areas of governance, the UK Sport/Sport England self assurance process offers a suitable benchmark against which a self audit can be made. Maintaining a green status is a minimum benchmark of performance.

A proactive approach to risk management will continue to ensure that the sport grows sustainably.

Page 17: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 17 v 4.0 October 2012

BUSINESS OPERATIONS Sustainable organisation support beyond 2012 remains the priority in underpinning this plan. The key functional areas are all robust and compliant with current best practice but there is room for improvement, which could be significant when the organisation seeks even higher performance levels. Human Resources (HR) The priority is to develop and implement the most appropriate organisational structure to implement the strategic plan successfully and to deliver the Vision of the Board. As our organisation grows, our training and development needs are becoming clearer. Cross-functional working has been a real area of improvement during the last three years, and there is a need to develop a training initiative specifically for staff working across departments and one specifically aligned to our customer charter. The recruitment and induction programme will continue to be refined and HR policies and employment practices will be evaluated and reviewed regularly to maintain compliance. Succession planning is vital and challenging in a small organisation. This area will underpin our HR planning and strategy.

Legal Services Again, the focus is to achieve compliance and mobilise access to excellent advice for Board and staff. The team will ensure that the mechanism is in place to ensure information regarding changes to legislation is obtained and relevant legislative changes are implemented. A system will be maintained to ensure that major contracts and legal documentation can be evaluated appropriately.

IT Development After a series of investments into infrastructure and the core database, the emphasis is on activating and getting the best out of the systems we now have in order to support the organisation’s operation. In addition, a more needs-based systems audit for individual roles should ensure fit-for-purpose operations in every area. IT should make our individuals perform to the highest level and make our organisation fly. Priorities for the next four years are:

Activation of the investment in the Website – really making this platform work for the sport.

Development of IT systems to continue to support our HN members, and be a more

effective service provider: meeting organisation needs and member expectations.

Development of greater flexibility and improved choice in accessing information:

information when, where and how you want it.

Development in the breadth and depth of people’s knowledge (especially staff and Board), and effective use of IT throughout the organisation.

Financial Management The first aim has to be to develop and implement the most appropriate finance structure to support the strategic plan and deliver the vision of the Board for the next four years successfully,

Page 18: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 18 v 4.0 October 2012

while complying with all of our funding agency reporting requirements. This will be supported by the establishment of clear strategic and operational plans. Our team will ensure that there are robust structures, systems, checks and reporting in place to best protect the interests of all stakeholders in the sport and that will stand the test of internal and external scrutiny; this includes administration of, and compliance with, Management Agreements and other mechanisms to manage agreed support to Home Nations. Financial prudence has underpinned the strategy for the sport in the last period, creating the financial bedrock from which growth could be planned. We will continue to maintain the financial stability necessary to underpin the delivery of the vision and monitor revenue generation sources to ensure long-term sustainability of British Triathlon. Internal Communications All of our work in driving the organisation forward will have a foundation of excellent communications. We recognise that this is an area for improvement, especially as the organisations and the sport is growing. This applies to both intra- and inter-organisation communications as well as within the sport itself through main stakeholders (clubs, athletes, coaches, key volunteers).

BRITISH TRIATHLON FOUNDATION TRUST After the initial set-up, the Foundation has been a dormant charitable company. The charity was set up in 2011 to provide a vehicle to use the sport for charitable/community good and to increase the social reach and impact of triathlon. However, after the slow start, 2012 has seen the appointment of two new trustees and the recruitment of an enthusiastic chair with a strong passion for the sport and a wealth of background business experience. We hope that the Foundation will reach out to new/non-sporting audiences and engage them in recognising the health, lifestyle and enjoyment benefits of sport through triathlon. The first 18 months will see a strong drive to raise funds against one or two community projects which are tangible and deliverable in the short term. The Foundation will work closely with Home Nation triathlon organisations to maximise the impact that both can have.

Page 19: BRITISH TRIATHLON STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 2017 · 2016-07-11 · British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 5 v 4.0 October 2012 working to support the creation of opportunities and

British Triathlon Strategic Plan 2013-17 Page 19 v 4.0 October 2012

Milestones 2013: British ITU VP; ETU eBoard position secured ITU WTS Grand Final staged;

Viewed as a success by all stakeholders; TV viewing and spectator figures surpass current high (2011 WTS Hyde Park); ITU congress delivered to a high standard as assessed by ITU and NF participants; full fields and excellent GB team results in every category; event sets environmental benchmark

ETU Junior Cup event established British Triathlon Festival/TE Triathlon National Championships established; very competitive events which attract significant participant entry levels British Triathlon Super Series in Strathclyde enables event testing by Glasgow 2014; inclusion of Team relay confirmed for Commonwealth Games

2014 Sustainable (financially and environmentally) British event programme, which is supported by

rising talent, offers opportunities to showcase our senior performers and attracts good

sponsorship whilst appealing to an increasing TV audience Acknowledged strength in depth (World top 10) at U23/Junior UK leg of ITU WCS staged; continued attraction for sponsors/TV/venue; event profitably delivered. Success for HN members in CWG 2014; successful event from all perspectives

2015 British staging of ITU WTS event; Record numbers of followers on facebook/twitter – growth rate exceeds all other Olympic sports Website traffic at levels commensurate with an event website – not just operating/viewed as NGB site

2016 Olympic/Paralympic performance (2 Olympic medals; Paralympic goal dependent on categories) Our athletes’ performances at international/GB level are covered regularly in mainstream media platforms. Funding agencies and government/local authorities desire to work with triathlon as priority sport.