Who takes part in triathlon? An application of lifestyle segmentation to triathlon participants

Triathlon has grown and therefore it is important for managers and marketers of triathlon events to know more about their participants. The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of triathlon participants and segment the overall market into smaller segments of consumers. Data on the behaviour, psychographics (lifestyle), and demographics of triathletes was collected by means of an online survey in Germany (n = 786). Lifestyle segmentation was undertaken using a k-means cluster analysis which suggested three clusters. They were labelled serious pursuiters, sport lovers, and socialisers depending on the activities and interests they have in their leisure time. The chi2-test revealed significant differences among clusters in terms of age, gender, years of participation, time of practice, and expenditure. The findings have implications for several stakeholders and allow them to specifically target different groups of triathlon participants.