The BRAT (Bondi Running and Triathlon) Club is one of the oldest Triathlon Clubs in Australia. With a membership of nearly 400, it's also one of the largest.
The BRAT's origin dates to the start of the City to Surf in 1971, when an informal group used to meet to run three times a week from the Bondi Diggers Club. There at the outset was Jock Cavanagh, later the Club's first President.
By the late seventies with the growth of Fun Runs and the start of the Marathon boom, the group had grown considerably with a number of regular and competitive racers. However, it wasn't until 1985 that the group formed officially as the Bond Diggers Road Runners Club and staged the first of some 700 Club races. Officials of the new Club included Jock Cavanagh, President, Ken Wylie, Captain and Ced Sidebottom, Secretary. A few years later the races had come under the direction of Tony Golden currently Triathlon NSW Club Member of the Year.
The next leap forward was the Club's staging of its first triathlon in 1986. (Second placegetter Steve Bishop, along with his family, is still an active competitor with the Club). Then a young 'Spot' Anderson, already a peer group leader in surfing, won our second 'tri' - we were on our way in the new sport. 'Spot' was the first of many Club members to win a National Championship or represent Australia in Triathlon.
In 1988 the Club severed formal ties with the 'Diggers' establishing itself as The Bondi Running and Triathlon (BRAT) Club Inc. Sponsorship for the now fast growing Club followed, initially from Pamir Sports and then from Saucony, whose name we were to include with ours for the next nine years.
The BRAT Club is one of Australia's leading Triathlon Clubs who also accommodate many members who swim or run or ride separately. We were for several years affiliated with Athletics NSW (having NSW's three best Steeplechasers) and are still affiliated with the NSW Cycling Federation. We benefit from extensive networking with local athletics, surf and social clubs.
The BRAT's probably have the most starters of any Club each year in the Forster Ironman and is also a competitive force in events as diverse as the Six Foot Track Mountain Run and the City to Surf. Pleasingly, the Club's active membership of around 380 is divided almost equally between males and females. Our size means that training sessions are available to suit almost all levels of ability and commitment. Our social activities, under Ian Dupree are, hopefully suitable for everybody!