Internationally recognised art and literary critic, writer and cultural producer. Published in ELLE, Glamour, Esquire and Cosmopolitan; member of the Union of Writers.
By Maria Bregman – founder and Editor-in-Chief of Creativitys.UK; writer, filmmaker, and UK Global Talent.
In corporate boardrooms, at international economic forums, and climate summits, words about mental health and finding anchors in our increasingly fractured world are regularly heard. But to truly understand what this very “resilience” looks like in action, one had to be on the shores of the Great Lake at Blenheim Palace on the 5th and 6th of June, 2026.
The Oxfordshire estate, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, has always been a symbol of unyielding spirit. His famous words: “Never give in-never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense,” echo within these walls even today. And it was here, for two days, that the largest sporting event in the region’s history unfolded, a true triumph of human will-the Supertri triathlon.
I spent two days here with the Supertri team, with Olympic champions, successful businessmen, artists, and those who came here for the first time. And it gave me a colossal charge of energy. It was incredibly powerful and overwhelmingly massive.
On the first day, the weather attempted to challenge us: torrential rain lashed the palace lawns for two hours, turning the lake into gleaming slate. But this frightened no one-neither the participants nor the spectators wrapped in raincoats. The rain passed, leaving behind not dampness, but an atmosphere of a genuine triumphant festival. Vintage carousels spun beneath a clearing sky, and the noise was incredible: thousands of people tirelessly banged on the advertising boards, cheering for athletes whose names they had learned only a minute ago.
All of this only swelled the crowd. The atmosphere of the event combined a flawlessly planned sporting competition with safe racing tracks and the spirit of a true triumphant fair.
Here, at the very heart of Supertri, beats the pulse of 6,000 participants. Triathlon is not just a test of muscles. As Churchill said, it is primarily a matter of the mind. The main step is to realise your goal, manifest the willpower, and only then-force the body to submit and move forward. This philosophy is directly linked to sustainable development (sustainability), a course that the UN defines today. If every person strove for a creative goal, manifested willpower, and did not fear obstacles, our world would develop completely differently.
Supertri is changing the mindset of entire generations. People are abandoning cars and switching to bicycles. Children, watching their parents overcome themselves on the course, leave the virtual world of gadgets back for reality. They learn self-belief, true friendship, and the healthy overcoming of pain. This is a powerful preventive measure for mental health, because on the course you are never alone: there are coaches, volunteers, and people just like you, who are scared and struggling, but they do not give up and take the next step.
But the image that etched itself most deeply into my memory is the personalities on the course itself. These were people of infinite determination and focus. A top Olympian and an absolute novice swim through the water of Blenheim, completely separated by skill level, but united by one thing-they are both fiercely determined to be here. And although there was undoubtedly a place for professionals at Blenheim-some of them being the absolute best in the world at what they do-the vast majority of participants came here straight from their daily routines, being absolute beginners. On the same course, shoulder to shoulder, stood top managers of investment funds and artists, IT developers and school teachers, mothers of many children and grey-haired professors. It was an astonishing community of people of all ages and professions, united not by a sporting past, but by one common goal and an iron will to achieve it.
The Genesis of Supertri
This brand has its own distinct history, which perfectly explains why a mass-participation competition on the grounds of an English palace is accompanied by such a grandiose vision.
The brand was previously known as Super League Triathlon, and back then, the idea was built exclusively around elite racing. This brand was created by three vastly different individuals. CEO Michael D’hulst; Leonid Boguslavsky, a highly successful global investor; and the legendary four-time World Champion Chris McCormack. They united three of the largest triathlon clubs on the planet, creating a unique global platform.
Boguslavsky’s involvement is particularly fascinating. He discovered triathlon later in life, and, as D’hulst noted, this sport perfectly matched his entrepreneurial spirit. “If you look at Leonid, he discovers this sport, and it perfectly aligns with his business mindset,” D’hulst told me. “Triathlon is almost a metaphor for life. Sometimes things go well, sometimes they don’t. You face difficulties. But you have to bounce back and keep going.”
This project to elevate the sport began with short, explosive formats for TV. But soon it took an unexpected turn. Instead of continuing to focus exclusively on the elite, the company began acquiring the largest mass-participation events.
Blenheim is now the largest triathlon competition in the entire United Kingdom. And in the US, the Chicago Triathlon gathers up to nine thousand participants. The logic behind such a move lies in the stark difference between an “Ironman” and a sprint. An “Ironman” requires over half a year of gruelling training. Supertri competitions offer short distances (750 metres swim, 20km cycle, and 5km run), so virtually anyone can take part.
According to Adam Leitch, Supertri’s Communications Director, this was the brand’s first year operating the event, and the scale was staggering: 6,000 participants across the weekend (4,500 on Saturday, 1,500 on Sunday), competing in Sprint, SuperSprint, relays, and the gruelling Weekend Warrior.
“What other sport would you get to go and play five-a-side with Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? It’s just never going to happen,” laughed Adam Leitch, Communications Director at Supertri. “But that’s the way that we as Supertri can make triathlon more accessible and more inspiring.”
The public goal is audacious. “We would like to try and achieve thirty thousand people racing across our events, and ten thousand of those being first-time athletes,” he stated.
Breaking the Formula 1 Model
A few days later, we met with Michael D’hulst in a quieter setting. When I brought up the brand’s ambitions and its horizon for global growth, he was clear that, for them, elite sport is not only a sporting goal but a crucial engine of global media growth. The presence of stars like Jonny Brownlee, breaking the Weekend Warrior record right in front of the spectators, is critically important. Elite athletes do not just compete-they create a powerful news hook around which a PR campaign is built, attracting the attention not only of the target audience but also of major brands.
But even understanding the full importance of this elite narrative, Michael gently steered the conversation back to the lake.
“What you see in Blenheim is this community coming together, and it’s not just about medals,” he insisted. “The beauty of this business is that we have a mandate to try and grow the sport, not just grow the business.” He spoke with concern about the modern technological imbalance: young people spend their lives staring at screens, and sport is a powerful route back into one’s own body.
However, when the business context appeared in the conversation, it was accompanied by a deep understanding of psychology and monetisation. Today, Supertri positions itself not only as a race organiser but as a global platform for Tier-1 sponsors.
“People will invite client entertainment, they will go to the Formula One, or they will go to football,” D’hulst noted. “Every year I get invited to football matches and I don’t even remember who invited me. You just go. But a very different experience is, okay, you do a triathlon together.” Companies like UBS or Royal Bank of Canada come here and participate in a team format, training under the guidance of Olympians. Supertri strives to go beyond a niche event, becoming an attractive product for big business and VIP hospitality. At the same time, the goal of such partnerships is not only commerce but also the broadcasting of healthy lifestyle values, which perfectly aligns with the global sustainability agenda.
Michael clearly sees the challenge of taking triathlon beyond a niche audience. Recalling the media strategies of the 90s and 2000s and the experience of TV networks like NBC, he emphasises: to break into the mainstream, the sport needs more than live broadcasts. The future of triathlon lies in deep storytelling and working with creative industries. Audiences need their own live stories of overcoming. The grand finale of the Supertri Pro Series in Jersey, scheduled for the 6th of September, is viewed precisely as a crucial milestone in building this new media ecosystem.
But ultimately, this entire complex, multi-level business model boils down to one phrase for D’hulst: “You’re giving people an experience, a sense of belonging, the confidence, the sense of achievement. And if it’s rooted in a physical, social environment, it’s very, very valuable.”
The Mud, The Metrics, and Local Stories
Because I am a filmmaker, I was interested in the role documentary storytelling plays. In this context, D’hulst became animated, throwing back to old programmes: “From a film and documentary perspective, NBC always had a documentary about Ironman Hawaii. It covered the professional race, but it also told inspiring stories of everyday people overcoming adversity.”
“The most powerful thing in triathlon is finding stories of people who do something incredible, who have overcome adversity, and it changed their life,” he noted.
D’hulst continued: “In Chicago, two years ago, we had a kid, seventeen or eighteen. He wanted to do his first triathlon. And then he was diagnosed with blood cancer. He went through chemotherapy and everything else. A year later he was on the recovery side, and he said, ‘Look, I want to come back and do this triathlon.’ We helped him, we coached him. And he finished. It changed his life: he could say, ‘I came back, and I am stronger’.”
“This is the pinnacle moment,” D’hulst concluded. “It’s the best of the best racing for big prize money, so it gets a lot of attention and it gives us the opportunity to inspire other people.” “It all comes down to motivating people to think: ‘Okay, I’m inspired.’ I come from Belgium. In 1996, a Belgian won the World Championship in Hawaii, and that motivated me. I said, ‘Oh, I want to try this.’ It’s that exact moment of ‘Wow, this looks exciting, I want to do it.’ And that is exactly what our format provides.”
To grasp this scale, one only needs to look at the Chicago leg-one of the largest in the world. People flock here from all continents to be in an atmosphere where the boundaries between Olympic champions, businessmen, and those who have entered the start line for the first time are erased. It is in this environment that the true value of triathlon is revealed. It is not just a sport-it is a path to longevity, healthy thinking, and a constructive attitude towards each other. Here, the strong support the weak. Triathlon broadcasts fundamental values to the world: friendship, mutual support, and belief in the power of one’s own mind. Once you have been here, you receive a strategic charge of energy that changes your attitude towards your own body, the people around you, and the planet we share together.
Voices at the Lakeside
I found Ray by the lake. She is nearly seventy years old, yet she is navigating the same treacherous course as participants a third of her age.
“My name is Ray. I’m doing the triathlon for the fourteenth time,” she said. “I’m a big fan of triathlon because it stretches you in every sense. It stretches your body and especially your mind. Because I’ve trained, I know I can do it. But my mind tells me, ‘You are nearly 70, you cannot do it.'”
In a few words, she brought back to me the entirety of Michael D’hulst’s grandiose speech. The body is rarely the true barrier. The barrier is the mind.
Mimi Zouch @mimizouch_art continued this theme, proving the very same concept in practice. As an artist and content creator, Zouch returned to the starting line through physical trauma and deep personal realisation.
“I first did triathlons in 2017 to raise money for charity because I lost a family member to leukaemia,” she explained. “But then in 2018, I broke my foot very badly. I had to have reconstructive surgery, and it took about 18 months until the day I could run again.”
“I was made redundant last year,” she shared candidly, “and it was my opportunity to get back on my bike and live life a bit more how I want to.”
Zouch eloquently explained why the physical environment of Blenheim is so important. “You’re surrounded by nature… This isn’t dirty water. If you swim in the Thames, it’s unpleasant water. But here, it’s stunning.”
Crucially, Zouch highlighted the necessity of physical sustainability for women over 40. “We’re living longer lives, and it’s really important that we’re strong. Because of bone degeneration going into perimenopause, the importance of moving is very high. Otherwise, you become a frail old lady. And I hope to be one of those super-grans who rides her bike for six hours on the weekend.”
Supertri was one of the first triathlon tournaments to equalise prize money for women and men, and this year the event actively collaborated with the Women in Tri initiative, whose goal is to bring more women to the starting line. One of the participant, who received a place thanks to this support, described her day like this: “The support, the marshals, the other triathletes on the course-it is absolutely incredible. I am just so grateful to Women in Tri for the place they gave me.”
The Professional and the Father
The main sporting story of the weekend was Jonny Brownlee-the owner of three Olympic medals (gold, silver, and bronze). At Supertri Blenheim Palace 2026, he created almost epic history, completing 10 sprint triathlons in two days, setting a new Weekend Warrior record. At the finish line, his son Freddie was waiting for him, and this start became his first after becoming a father. However, the blurring of boundaries between the elite and ordinary people was undeniable. He was on the course at the same time as everyone else. He swam alongside amateurs, cycled with them, and ran next to them in all weather.
When I approached him after the race, his perspective differed radically from the image of a ruthless athlete.
“My mindset has changed in many ways,” Brownlee said, noticeably tired but deeply satisfied, holding his son. “Firstly, obviously, your priorities change. I’m a father first, so the most important thing is to be a good father and be present in your child’s life.”
This shift directly impacts how he competes. “My sense of risk has definitely changed,” he admitted. “I don’t take as many risks going into corners or on descents; I play it safer. Yesterday, when I was struggling, I just waited for the moment to get to the finish line, because there you see Freddie, you can hug him, and that makes it all worthwhile.”
The fact that one of the greatest athletes finds his main motivation in safety and the opportunity to hug his child at the finish line perfectly reflects the spirit of Supertri. This is the ultimate humanisation of elite sport.
“That challenge is the essence of sport,” Brownlee told me. “If you’d asked me ten years ago, I’d have said it was all about, ‘Am I missing training by being here?’ I couldn’t speak to people because I needed to focus on my race. But now you realise that, in many ways, sport is about more than that. It’s great to see how everyone this weekend had their own challenges and goals… how they helped and inspired each other along the way.” When it comes to covering such distances, the inevitable question arises regarding the hierarchy of human endurance: what gives way first, the body or the mind? “I’d say the mind,” Brownlee told me. “If you set your mind to do something, I’m sure you can force your body to do it. The body can give up at any moment.” Overcoming the hilly Blenheim course, Brownlee admitted he drew immense energy from the amateurs: “I definitely drew inspiration from the people. I was riding and thinking: ‘Wow, look at how much effort they’re putting in. Just get up this hill, come on, don’t give up now.'”
The Global Horizon
And although the changeable English weather-now torrential rain, now bright Oxfordshire sunshine-brought us back to grounded reality, Supertri is undoubtedly a massive commercial enterprise. Their strategy is carefully calibrated: a “two-pillar” approach that combines global media reach with deeply rooted local storytelling.
The ideal showcase for these global ambitions is the Pro Series. Importantly, this event also served as a stage of the British Triathlon Super Series, aimed at developing local elite talent (with prize payouts to the entire top ten). In the women’s standings, Belgian Jolien Vermeylen proved untouchable. Having exerted immense effort on the bike, she pulled ahead on the run leg and secured a confident victory with a 30-second gap. Twenty-year-old Oliver Conway, the 2025 U23 World Triathlon Champion, who grew up just minutes from the Blenheim estate, made a devastating surge on the run and broke the tape ahead of Canadian Charles Paquet.
The athletes who proved their strength at Blenheim will gather again in Jersey on the 6th of September. This grand finale boasts the largest single-day prize purse in triathlon this year-a colossal $800,000. Simultaneously, community events will be held, such as the RBC Race for the Kids fun run, which once again reflects Supertri’s commitment to local participation.
Rather than pursuing inclusion in the Olympic Games, the founders are building Supertri’s future around accessibility, global media reach, and a scalable arena model. Their format has also pushed into digital innovation: “Supertri E”, the esports format they invented-widely credited with helping keep the sport alive through the COVID years, and showcased at the Olympic Esports Week-had been moving toward the planned Esports Olympics. After the IOC postponed that event in 2026 and opened a review of its future, Supertri paused Supertri E this year to reconsider how it fits within its own ecosystem and that of the wider sport.
They are proving that the path to massive global economic growth in sport lies in making it faster, more engaging, and fundamentally more accessible to the masses. From Chicago to London and Jersey, Supertri has proven its viability by utilising existing infrastructure, raising millions for charity, and creating a scalable, inclusive model of sport. Unlike drawn-out point-to-point endurance events that require a massive logistical footprint, the Supertri model, using sold-out arenas, existing Olympic pools, and smart trainers, drastically reduces environmental impact.
Obviously, this inclusivity is also a brilliant financial strategy: scaling amateur slots and attracting corporate teams bring in a steady cash flow inaccessible in purely elite sport.
What the Slowest Person Knows
As Sunday evening drew closer over Oxfordshire, the estate filled with that unique sense of lightness that only arises in the presence of thousands of people who have individually surpassed their own limits.
Now I see that this is exactly what they understood at Supertri. As modern society steadily moves into virtuality, what this company sells cannot be broadcast in any form. They sell labour, struggle, a deep sense of belonging, and the long-term transformation of the body and identity.
The true product is the simple finisher, soaked through and utterly exhausted, who learned at a palace near Oxford that their limit has absolutely nothing to do with their physical body. Just talk to Ray: she knows perfectly well that the mind will lie to her before the freezing water, but she dives in bravely anyway.
With registration for 2027 already well underway, it is clear: Supertri haven’t merely organised a race; they have ignited a movement. And once you witness it, the only logical response is to dive in after them.
