18th Rainbow Cup set for June 8 despite sponsorship struggles

OVER 300 eager athletes are set to feature at the 18th edition of the Rainbow Cup International Triathlon event at Turtle Beach Heritage Park, Black Rock, Tobago on June 8.

The event will see TT tri-athletes of varying ages testing their wits against their Caribbean and international counterparts in races such as the standard distance triathlon, sprint distance triathlon, Try-A-Tri triathlon and the keenly contested 5K which will feature over 100 runners.

As the Rainbow Cup approaches its 20th year, organiser Jason Gooding hinted at bringing an end to the event after the 2024 edition due to the lack of sponsorship support from local sporting bodies. Speaking to Newsday on Wednesday, Gooding says generating sponsorship for this year’s event has been particularly challenging as it will be without the support of Massy, who emerged as a main sponsor for the last few years.

Gooding is grateful for the funding from the Tobago House of Assembly’s (THA) Division of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport and M&M Insurance Broking Services, who will serve as this year’s main sponsor.

“We’ve been struggling to get sponsorship for the event. I doubt we will break even this year,” Gooding told Newsday.

“The ultimate goal is to get foreigners down here to compete in the event and also drive tourism as well. If you look at successful countries, they all have good sporting, youth and developmental programmes. These things stimulate business.”

Now residing in Grenada, Gooding hosted what he deemed a successful maiden Rainbow Cup on the island in April.

The event saw approximately 75 participants testing their triathlon endurance, and Gooding said the reception from the Grenadian public has encouraged him to make the event a permanent fixture on the “Spice Isle.”

This weekend, an eight-member Grenadian team is expected to descend on TT’s shores to duel experienced tri-athletes such as Liam D’Abadie and Jean-Marc Granderson.

Gooding said he will make one “final push” to generate sponsorship from the local bodies. However, he reckons the potential impact and overall value of the event are not fully appreciated.

“The Rainbow Cup is not well-respected,” Gooding said. “It’s well-respected by the athletes who compete and put in their best efforts to push the sport forward.

“It’s not well-respected by the sporting bodies and the organisations who have the finances to support the event.”

At last year’s Rainbow Cup, Jason Costelloe won the standard distance triathlon (1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run) to add to the individual sprint triathlon title he copped in 2022. Jacob Cox won the sprint triathlon last year, while veteran Elvis Turner grabbed the 5K title.

At the inaugural Rainbow Cup in Grenada two months ago, D’Abadie edged fellow TT athlete Noah Teixeira to the sprint triathlon crown. Cox, D’Abadie and Teixeira are all expected to face the starter in the triathlon sprint this weekend.

This year’s Rainbow Cup will feature competitors from Barbados, Colombia, Great Britain, Guyana, Spain, Venezuela and the US, and Gooding promised to put on a professional and top-class event despite the setbacks.