The origins of Deal Tri started with Deal Striders being formed in 1983, from which a group of budding triathletes branched out into Deal Tri Squad in 1986. The two groups merged in 1993 to form Deal Triathlon and Running Club and in 1996 the club consolidated the name into the Deal Tri Club as we know it today. Since 2018, the club has held a Charity Status (registered number is 1180938) and now has over 300 members spread across the complete age and ability range drawn mainly from the local areas of Dover, Deal, Canterbury, Folkestone and Thanet.
The short history below was written by our late, much missed president Ian Pettitt.
“Deal Tri was originally formed by co-founders Ian Pettitt & Roger Francis-Darby. Both were the local PE Teachers at Deal Sec (now Goodwin Academy) and members of Deal Striders Running Club. A meeting was scheduled where any interested parties could come along to the then Club Room at the back of the Lord Clyde pub on the Strand. In attendance were 10 pioneers who formed the start of Deal Tri (originally as a section of the Striders, called Deal Tri Squad).
It was not long before we found our 1st sponsor in Peter Piper who was the owner of The Golden Fillet in Mill Hill. The attached photo shows our publicity photo for the local newspaper in front of the shop. Due to work commitments 7 of those original 10 can be seen in the photo (from left to right):
Click here for full size photo of the founder members
Lyndon “The Pigeon” Dunsbee, Ian “Hamburger ” Pettitt, Roger “The Dinosaur” Francis-Darby (RIP), Steve “Mad Dog” Stagg, Peter Piper – who had a long association with us as Event Caterer, Club President & Friend until he passed away (RIP), Paul “Crazy” Cressy, John “Eth” Etheridge and Jon “The Hedgehog” Drover
Missing on the photo were: Alan Sutton, Peter Holbrook, Bob Robertson. Of those original 10 we have sadly lost Roger, 3 have moved away, 2 retired but Lyndon, Ian, Steve & Paul are still members to this day.”
Sadly since Ian wrote this he too has passed away.
Deal Tri actively promotes training and racing in:
- – Swimming
- – Cycling
- – Running
- – Triathlon
- – Duathlon events (a combination of 2 of the 3 triathlon sports)
both at home and abroad and boasts quality athletes in all disciplines as well as novice and intermediate abilities.
Deal Tri is affiliated to
- – British Triathlon Association
- – Road Time Trials Council
- – South East Athletics Association
- – England Athletics
- – Swim England
and operates to Event Safety Code standards.
Deal Tri actively promotes and adheres to the British Triathlon Association Good Practice in Triathlon Code which promotes athlete welfare, good practice and child protection policy and procedures.