Swimmers taking part in last year's Staffin Triathlon. Wetsuits are compulsory because of the cold water in Staffin Bay.

Salmon farmer dives back into triathlon sponsorship

Organic Sea Harvest provides sponsorship and logistical support for Skye event again after successful debut last year

Editorial team
Published

Skye salmon farmer Organic Sea Harvest (OSH) will be the lead sponsor of the Staffin Triathlon & 10k event for the second year in a row.

Organised by Skye Events, in conjunction with Staffin Community Hall Association, the event was held for the first time in August last year and will be staged again on August 31.

Competitors in the Sprint Triathlon – the longest of four triathlon options - will start with a cold-water swim off Staffin slipway where wetsuits are mandatory, owing to the low sea temperature.

Four options

Staffin Triathlon has four options of distance/difficulty: 

  • The Sprint (750m swim, 20km cycle, 5km run); 
  • Super Sprint and Novice (300m swim, 8.5km cycle, 2.5km run); 
  • TS2 (age 11-12) & TS3 (age 13-14), (300m swim, 5.1km cycle, 1.8km run); 
  • Tri Start (age 8) & TS1 (age 9-10), (100m swim, 1.5km cycle, 600m run).
  • For more details and entry, visit the Skye Events website.

After completing a lap of the swim course, they will then jump on their bikes to head along the A855 road with the scenery of the Trotternish peninsula as the backdrop. The final part of the course is a 5-kilometre run to the finish line outside Staffin Stores and The Hungry Gull.

There is a separate 10-km run for those who don’t wish to take part in the triathlon.

Safety boats

As well as sponsoring the event, OSH, which has its shore base at Staffin, will be providing logistics support including setting up the course, and providing safety boat cover for the swim sections and support vehicles for land-based activities.

“We were proud to support the Triathlon & 10k for its first year in 2023 and it was a no-brainer for us to get behind the event again in 2024,” said OSH farming director and co-founder Alex MacInnes.

“OSH and the team at Skye Events enjoy working very closely together in the weeks leading up to the day, and on the day itself, to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience.”

Some of the winners of last year's Staffin Triathlon & 10k. OSH co-founder and farming director Alex MacInnes is on the left.

Fiona Baker, race director at Skye Events, said the fish farmer’s support enabled the organisers to create a truly inclusive event for athletes ranging from seasoned triathletes to enthusiastic beginners, as young as eight.

“With their continued partnership, we’re excited to establish this burgeoning race as a must-do pilgrimage for athletes seeking a unique and unforgettable challenge in the heart of Staffin,” said Baker.

OSH operates two salmon farms, at Invertote and Culnacnoc, off the northeast coast of Skye, and has applied for planning permission for two more.

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