The BTF have also appointed Fast Track, the UK’s leading independent sports marketing agency, to develop the sport in the build-up to London.

 

The firm, founded by 1972 Olympic silver medallist Alan Pascoe, has been appointed to develop and deliver a domestic televised events strategy for the sport, supplemented by marketing and public relations execution.

 

This will include raising the profile of the sport, helping to increase participation numbers and provide performance pathways for competitors.

 

Triathlon claims to be one of the fastest growing sports in Britain with an estimated 100,000 taking part in over 700 registered races in 2008.

 

The sport currently boasts four world champions, including Helen Jenkins and Chrissie Wellington at the the senior Olympic and long-distance events.

 

But for the third consecutive Olympics since the sport was introduced to the Games at Sydney in 2000 Britain failed to win a medal in Beijing.

 

The best performance came from Alistair Brownlee, who finished 12th.

 

Zara Hyde Peters, the chief executive of the BTF, said: “Earlier this year, British Triathlon sought to identify a partner that could significantly enhance the promotion and marketing of the three elite televised events alongside raising commercial sponsorship and other partnership funding through a commercial tender process. 

 

"We are pleased to confirm that Fast Track offered exceptional experience and provided a solution that we believe will successfully raise our profile and help move an already popular Olympic sport forward towards 2012.”

 

Fast Track are already working with British Basketball to help them develop the sport's profile as it prepares for London 2012 and has been in charge of staging UK Athletics flagship televised events for 10 years.

 

Jon Ridgeon, Fast Track's managing director, said: “We feel we are well placed to help develop and implement a televised events marketing and promotions strategy alongside seeking funding partners.

 

"Triathlon has a great future and this is another exciting client to add to our portfolio of Olympic sports we represent.”

 

The announcement coincided with the decision that Springman has been selected to continue as president and chair of the BTF's board of directors for a further four years from January 1, 2009.

 

Springman, a former British international who won the European Championship three times, was recently elected as the vice-president of the International Triathlon Union.

 

She is a Professor for Geotechnical Engineering at the world renowned Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. 

 

Springman said: “I am greatly honoured to have been selected to lead British Triathlon during this very special period for Olympic sport in Great Britain .

 

"I relish both the challenge and the opportunity to build on past foundations and to lead the organisation to deliver on an ambitious vision for the sport, encompassed within a long term strategy, guided by very clear values. 

 

"I firmly believe that we have the people: athletes, staff, volunteers and partners, with whom we can form a great team to achieve together.

 

"There is no doubt that sport will resonate around the nation during this quadrennial - I want triathlon to be part of a great story for British sport.”