The city is poised and ready for a massive influx of athletes and supporters and to host the best World Series Grand Final ever. These were the words of the Mayor of Pontevedra, Miguel Anxo Fernández Lores, during the press conference held after the meeting of the Executive Committee at the City Council Town Hall. Words that were endorsed by the representative of Fetri (Spanish Triathlon Federation), Jorge García, who supervised the preparations of the event with the rest of those responsible for the organisation.
The meeting was chaired by the Mayor and President of the Spanish Triathlon Federation, José Hidalgo. The Vice-President of the Deputación de Pontevedra, Rafael Domínguez, the head of the Provincial Sports Service of the Xunta, Daniel Benavides, and the president of the Galician Triathlon Federation, Javier Campos, among others, also attended.
During the meeting, the economic figures that each entity is contributing and the sponsorships agreed with different companies were discussed, as well as some other logistical and organisational aspects that are being developed in an event that reaches an investment of approximately 2.8 million euros. The geographical projection covers, only in overnight stays, the entire southwest of Galicia. There are already some teams that are training for example in the city of Lugo, more than 100 km away from Pontevedra.
Another interesting figure regarding the event is related to the investment planned for the live broadcast which will be run by Spanish Television, estimated at around 300,000 euros. Spanish Television will send a technical team of about 60 people to the city to undertake this mission.
Some studies predict that the event will generate some 10 million media impacts worldwide, thanks to an event in which athletes from at least 57 countries will participate and in which the best triathletes in the world will compete, some of whom will try to obtain their place for the Olympic Games in Paris.
While the mayor praised the good working environment that exists in the teams that are organising the event, the representative of the Xunta spoke of the magnificent institutional understanding created between the three main participating public entities, which manage to value the image of Galicia above anything else.
The president of Fegatri (Galician Triathlon Federation) spoke of the unprecedented challenge and opportunity posed by the organisation of this event for Galician sport and Jorge García, from Fetri (Spanish Triathlon Federation), said that the venue is ideal to host a championship of this type, “held for the first time in Spain, and the most important sporting event in the country throughout this year. ” García considered that this was not a simple sport event, but an event with many more elements that will, as always, generate unique and different experiences in Pontevedra. This is already well-known by the athletes and is a huge motivation to come here. “
