Schiniathlon (pronounce [skiny-athlon]) was the first major effort to introduce triathlon in Greece as a sport for everyone. The name is a contraction of "Schinias" [Skinias], the Bay where it all started and "Triathlon" a word we have been banned to use, curiously, right from the start... The races started in 2007 with 2 events that year, and it evolved fast to 6 events per year series. The spirit of the events, which was about enjoying the sport, rather than promoting only elite level athletes, contributed to the success and popularity it enjoyed from day one. The events have grown to attract from 55 participants at the first Schiniathlon, to over 300 athletes per race in 2011. Every year more and more people were coming to the sport. In total, more than 2.300 individuals got in touch with triathlon through our series of events in these 5 years, where we were the first and only organiser around...
We have made a point to always add something new to our offer, for every season: a new format (triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon), a new distance (sprint, olympic, long, half-iron), a new location (Schinias, Astros, Vravrona)... Our idea was to accompany the athlete from beginner to experienced and to cater for all at all times. We started together... Before 2007 there was no mass triathlon in the country, we grew with you...
Besides the events themselves, we developed other concepts to grow, motivate and inspire the community. Every year starting 2008, we organised the summer IM trip in Europe. 14 athletes followed us in 2008 for the 1/2IM Austria, 22 athletes in 2009 for IM Frankfurt, and 27 athletes in 2011 for Challenge Roth. The process involved group trainings, team outfits and funds raising. These projects were for the high-end athletes. We also introduced Clinics for the beginners and maintained a forum to share all about training.
This website is the legacy of how it all started. You get the race reports, results and pictures... but you also get the "behind the scenes" stories behind each event... This is what it took, to put triathlon on the map of sports in Greece...