Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Walter .
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mark Walter. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
All my life I’ve been active in sports and throughout my professional career I had a desire to start my own business, but for the longest time I didn’t have the idea or concept that gave me the confidence to go out on my own. I did my first triathlon in 2004 and was immediately hooked on the sport and thought it would be fun to organize my own triathlon event. Two years later (2006) I produced my very first event, a conference for triathletes at Regis College in Wellesley, MA (the New England Multisport Expo), and one year later (2007) I directed my first triathlon, the inaugural Patriot Half in East Freetown, MA. I knew then, without a doubt, building a business around my passion for triathlon and other endurance sports was the opportunity I was looking for.
For the next 5 years I continued to work full time in my “day job” while spending lots of after-hours and weekends on the Sun Multisport Events business and trying to balance the needs of my wife and family (and squeeze in some training and racing!), By the end of 2011 I had built the business to a point where I was able to make it my full time venture. My last day working in the corporate world was January 31, 2012 and I haven’t looked back since.
Today, Sun Multisport Events produces the RACE-MANIA Summit and Expo (what was formerly the New England Multisport Expo)… an award-winning multisport race series that was voted “Best Triathlon Series” in the Triathlete’s Choice Awards (2013) and includes the Patriot Half which was voted “Best Small Race (less than 1,000 athletes)” in the Triathlete’s Choice Awards (2013, 2017) and “Best Triathlon” by Competitor magazine (2016)… and the “Barn to Run Trail Race Series”, a growing collection of farm-based trail races.
Has it been a smooth road?
It was smooth sailing in the beginning… participation in the sport of triathlon grew rapidly from about 2004 until 2012, but so did the number of races. Then, growth in participation in the sport flattened and a “glut” of races made growing events and successfully launching new ones very challenging. Our events have an excellent reputation and that has helped sustain us, but growth has not been what it was in the beginning.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Sun Multisport Events story. Tell us more about the business.
Our mission is to further the passion of the endurance sports community with events that prioritize safety and superior organization… are staged from scenic venues with attractive courses… and feature generous volunteer support and attention to the “little things” that add up to a memorable event experience.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Overall participation in endurance sports (e.g. running, triathlon, obstacle course racing, cycling, etc.,) has been growing and remains strong, but the number of endurance events available to athletes has skyrocketed. This makes for a very competitive environment. Over the next 5-10 years I think the events that will do well are those that provide the best overall event experience. The event experience is much more than what happens from “On your mark, get set, GO!” to the athlete crossing the finish line… the event experience includes registering for an event, pre-race info and training guidance, the race itself and post-race festivities that not only take into account the athlete’s needs, but the needs of the athlete’s family, friends and spectators.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sunmultisportevents.com/
- Phone: 7814140437
- Email: info@SunMultisportEvents.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sun_multisport/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunMultisport/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sun_Multisport
Image Credit:
Liz Cardoso
Allan Litchfield
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