The IPC VISTA Science Conference took place in Bonn, Germany in early September. In attendance representing the ITU was Dr. Sarah Springman, Vice-President of ITU and President of the British Triathlon Federation. On Saturday she presented on “The Inclusion of Para-Divisions in Olympic Sport Federations: Opportunities & Challenges” together with IPC CEO Xavier Gonzalez and Prof Gudrun Doll Tepper. Dr. Springman reviewed Paratriathlon and its background, facts and figures, as well as the present and the future in the different functional areas that the ITU currently runs for the able body disciplines.
The ITU also had the opportunity to attend the various sessions that were held from Thursday through Saturday on Science topics related to the theme “A Multidisciplinary Approach to Paralympic Sports”.
The last VISTA conference was also held in Bonn in 2006 and unites a wide number of personalities and experts in sports medical and science fields with a strong aim towards Paralympic Sport.
The ITU successfully bid to have Paratriathlon included onto the Paralympic programme, beginning with Rio 2016.