In this episode
Giannis Katopodis speaks from SwimBikeRun’s perspective: live broadcasts, trips to world championships and whether Greek participation is declining.
The conversation remains grounded in coverage experience and his personal reading of the market. References to federations, court cases and rules are presented as an account, not verified facts.
Detailed show notes
Covering races, not just entering them
Since 2018–2019, he has covered Greek triathlon with Konstantinos Papanikolaou at SwimBikeRun. He describes hundreds of videos and dozens of live broadcasts, with costs that must “pay for themselves”. They have covered Kona, the 70.3 Worlds in France and XTERRA.
He says TRIMAN no longer has live coverage after years of their presence, and other Greek races also lack coverage. He frames this as a gap in the sport’s visibility rather than an accusation against a particular organiser.
Are finish numbers falling?
His central view is that Greece is losing triathlon finishes year on year, while long distance also faces pressure worldwide. He gives an order of magnitude of hundreds fewer finishes; this remains his approximate estimate, not an official statistic.
He sees people moving towards ultras and gravel. He calls for more support for youth programmes and national-championship broadcasts, and less personal branding by organisers. He is pessimistic unless the foundations change.
Costs, clubs and the market
He distinguishes clubs from private race companies. He says the SwimBikeRun calendar does not sell as well as expected and is not always updated. Discussion of prices, slots and sold-out fields abroad remains an observation from his coverage travels, not an entry guide.
His criticism of race decisions concerning heat and safety is presented as a personal view based on what he has seen while broadcasting, not technical advice for athletes.
How he got here
He began running after a 2006 trip to New York. His first triathlon was in Schinias around May 2009. He recalls early Greek events and middle distance as a more accessible step than Ironman distance. Astroman is mentioned as an early spectator/relay experience, not his own complete race result.
The title’s question does not end with yes or no. It ends with the idea that the sport needs documentation, broadcasting and a new generation; otherwise, the picture of decline remains.
Key takeaways
- Live coverage is work with costs; its presence at every Greek race cannot be taken for granted.
- Discussion of decline relies on experience and finish estimates, not an official register presented in the episode.
- Clubs, private races and personal branding are different parts of the triathlon market.
- Without national-championship broadcasts and academy support, Katopodis sees participation recovery as difficult.
