The International Triathlon Union plans to combine four World Championship races into the biggest multisport festival yet – and they are looking for a host city.
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Bidding is now open to host the 2017 ITU Multisport World Championship Festival, an inaugural 10-day event featuring World Championship events in Duathlon, Aquathlon, Cross Triathlon and Long Distance Triathlon.
“Combining all of these World Championship events into one festival will serve to further strengthen and evolve them, and will be very attractive to cities wishing to attract thousands of active visitors,” said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado.
The host city can benefit from a significant boost in tourism and global media exposure. Previous world championships in triathlon have attracted at least 45,000 visitors per day and generated over $8m (£5.3m) worth of local spending on accommodation, transport, retail shopping and food and beverage.
The ITU Multisport World Championship Festival will also include both elite and mass participation races and is expected to draw 2,500 to 3,000 athletes, not including their support teams and families.
Interested cities must submit their bid packages to [email protected] by March 27, 2015. The winning cities will be announced on May 15, 2015.
For more information, visit www.triathlon.org.
(Main image: Delly Carr / ITU)
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Do you think it’s a good idea to combine these four events? Let us know in the comments!
Henley is back on the triathlon map with the launch of the Henley Highwayman, an inaugural multisport event happening on June 5 to 7. Organisers touted a brand new format in which competitors can mix and match distances according to their abilities – and promised there will be no road closures this time around.
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Henley was home to the Challenge UK triathlon from 2011 to 2013, until race organisers moved the event to Weymouth in 2014.
While Challenge Henley had grown in participation over its three years, Just Racing UK had also faced criticism from the local community, including Henley’s MP and mayor, for road closures that lasted up to 12 hours.
But the Henley Highwayman won’t be closing any roads, race organiser Jeremy Laming told The Henley Standard at the event launch on January 15.
In fact, the Henley Highwayman isn’t your standard tri at all. Instead of a single race, it will spread out the three disciplines over three days, and a “sportive”, point-based format will provide competitors with plenty of opportunities to smash personal records in events of their choosing.
There are four individual categories, which are as follows:
Full: 4km swim / 182km bike / 25km run Mid: 2km swim / 120km bike / 17km run Sprint: 1km swim / 62km bike / 9km run Pick & Mix: participants can play to their strengths and opt for any distance in each discipline. This option also allows an entrant to join a single event only.
Two group categories are also available: Team, in which all three members compete in all three disciplines, and Relay, in which each team member completes a designated leg.
The swim leg comprises a 1km loop in the Upper Thames along the Mill Meadows. In a “sportive” format, swimmers choose their own start times and can opt to complete one, two or four laps.
Whether competitors are gunning for a 62km, 120km or 182km bike leg, the ride begins at Henley’s marketplace, and offers the challenge of cycling the rolling Chiltern Hills before finishing back in the town centre.
Finally, the run is a scenic mix of road, trail and hills, taking competitors from the town hall to a loop up and down No Man’s Hill. Runners can target either 9km, 17km or 25km.
Winners will be determined by a scoring system which assigns equal weight to all three disciplines and takes both distance and performance into account. For example, while more points are available for longer distances, you’ll be better rewarded for a superb performance in a shorter distance than a poor showing in a longer distance.
Organisers are still ironing out the scoring system. It will be published in full detail at the end of February.
For the complete event details, visit henleyhighwayman.co.uk.
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What do you think of the Pick & Mix race format? Let us know in the comments below!
Henley is back on the triathlon map with the launch of the Henley Highwayman, an inaugural multisport event happening on June 5 to 7. Organisers touted a brand new format in which competitors can mix and match distances according to their abilities – and promised there will be no road closures this time around.
Advertisement
Henley was home to the Challenge UK triathlon from 2011 to 2013, until race organisers moved the event to Weymouth in 2014.
While Challenge Henley had grown in participation over its three years, Just Racing UK had also faced criticism from the local community, including Henley’s MP and mayor, for road closures that lasted up to 12 hours.
But the Henley Highwayman won’t be closing any roads, race organiser Jeremy Laming told The Henley Standard at the event launch on January 15.
In fact, the Henley Highwayman isn’t your standard tri at all. Instead of a single race, it will spread out the three disciplines over three days, and a “sportive”, point-based format will provide competitors with plenty of opportunities to smash personal records in events of their choosing.
There are four individual categories, which are as follows:
Full: 4km swim / 182km bike / 25km run Mid: 2km swim / 120km bike / 17km run Sprint: 1km swim / 62km bike / 9km run Pick & Mix: participants can play to their strengths and opt for any distance in each discipline. This option also allows an entrant to join a single event only.
Two group categories are also available: Team, in which all three members compete in all three disciplines, and Relay, in which each team member completes a designated leg.
The swim leg comprises a 1km loop in the Upper Thames along the Mill Meadows. In a “sportive” format, swimmers choose their own start times and can opt to complete one, two or four laps.
Whether competitors are gunning for a 62km, 120km or 182km bike leg, the ride begins at Henley’s marketplace, and offers the challenge of cycling the rolling Chiltern Hills before finishing back in the town centre.
Finally, the run is a scenic mix of road, trail and hills, taking competitors from the town hall to a loop up and down No Man’s Hill. Runners can target either 9km, 17km or 25km.
Winners will be determined by a scoring system which assigns equal weight to all three disciplines and takes both distance and performance into account. For example, while more points are available for longer distances, you’ll be better rewarded for a superb performance in a shorter distance than a poor showing in a longer distance.
Organisers are still ironing out the scoring system. It will be published in full detail at the end of February.
For the complete event details, visit henleyhighwayman.co.uk.
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What do you think of the Pick & Mix race format? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to race with reigning world champ Sebastian Kienle? Book a ticket to Cannes, southern France.
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The Kona 2014 winner, who also has two Ironman 70.3 world titles under his belt, is headed to the Cannes International Triathlon on April 19, 2015.
Joining Kienle in Cannes are Jan Frodeno, who bagged the men’s tri gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and M-dot titleholders like European champ Bart Aernouts and IM Lanzarote 2014 first-placer Romain Guillaume.
@SebastianKienle @CannesTriathlon and I was looking forward to a nice ride in the beautiful mountains…
— Jan Frodeno (@janfrodeno) January 18, 2015
Meanwhile, the pro women set to compete in Cannes include Jenny Fletcher (the triathlon’s ambassador), Leanda Cave (2012 IM and IM 70.3 world champ) and Charlotte Morel (2013 Cannes International Triathlon winner).
Cannes International Triathlon offers two courses, the L (2km swim / 80km bike / 16km run) and M (1km swim / 40km bike / 8km run), as well as a 10km run race.
The triathlon will be contested over a swim off Palm Beach, a bike leg from Cannes up nearly 800 metres to Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey and back, and a run through the southern stretch of the Boulevard de la Croisette.
For more information about Cannes International Triathlon, visit www.cannes-international-triathlon.com.
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How do you think Kienle will get on in Cannes? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to race with reigning world champ Sebastian Kienle? Book a ticket to Cannes, southern France.
Advertisement
The Kona 2014 winner, who also has two Ironman 70.3 world titles under his belt, is headed to the Cannes International Triathlon on April 19, 2015.
Joining Kienle in Cannes are Jan Frodeno, who bagged the men’s tri gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and M-dot titleholders like European champ Bart Aernouts and IM Lanzarote 2014 first-placer Romain Guillaume.
@SebastianKienle @CannesTriathlon and I was looking forward to a nice ride in the beautiful mountains…
— Jan Frodeno (@janfrodeno) January 18, 2015
Meanwhile, the pro women set to compete in Cannes include Jenny Fletcher (the triathlon’s ambassador), Leanda Cave (2012 IM and IM 70.3 world champ) and Charlotte Morel (2013 Cannes International Triathlon winner).
Cannes International Triathlon offers two courses, the L (2km swim / 80km bike / 16km run) and M (1km swim / 40km bike / 8km run), as well as a 10km run race.
The triathlon will be contested over a swim off Palm Beach, a bike leg from Cannes up nearly 800 metres to Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey and back, and a run through the southern stretch of the Boulevard de la Croisette.
For more information about Cannes International Triathlon, visit www.cannes-international-triathlon.com.
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How do you think Kienle will get on in Cannes? Let us know in the comments below!
The inaugural Challenge Dubai triathlon on February 27will be a star-studded affair, at least as far as pro competitors are concerned, and Spain’s Javier Gomez is the latest to join the party.
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The competition just heated up even further @challenge_dubai on 27 Feb with the addition of @Jgomeznoya to the field! #WeAreTriathlon!
— Challenge Family (@Challenge_Famil) January 19, 2015
Gomez was an unstoppable force in 2014, bagging the Ironman 70.3 World Championship title in Mont Tremblant just a week after being crowned ITU World Triathlon series champ for the fourth time. Challenge Dubai will be his first race in 2015.
“I like half distances races and I really look forward to racing against the best triathletes in this distance. I expect Challenge Dubai is going to be a very tough and fast race because of the highest pro field level,” Gomez said.
With a prize pot of $300k (£198k) and a route dotted with sand dunes and world-famous landmarks, Challenge Dubai has already attracted pro triathletes from around the world, including Germany’s Jan Frodeno and Michael Raelert, New Zealand’s Terenzo Bozzone, and Australia’s Luke McKenzie, Tim Reed, Brad Kahlefeldt and Pete Jacobs.
Not to be outdone, the women’s field includes Switzerland’s Daniela Rfy and Caroline Steffen, Britain’s Jodie Swallow and Leanda Cave, and USA’s Meredith Kessler.
Challenge Dubai is the first race in the Challenge Triple Crown series, which also includes the recently announced Challenge Oman. Challenge Bahrain, whose debut in December 2014 was a tremendous success, will be the final race in the 2015 series, with a $1m (£660k) prize purse up for grabs.
“I’m happy to see how triathlon is growing in the Middle East countries. I’m sure it is something very good for the people, especially for the kids, and it is definitely very positive for our sport,” said Gomez.
Registration for Challenge Dubai is ongoing until January 31. Visit www.challenge-dubai.com for more information.
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Do you think Gomez is a shoe-in to win Dubai? Let us know in the comments below!
The inaugural Challenge Dubai triathlon on February 27will be a star-studded affair, at least as far as pro competitors are concerned, and Spain’s Javier Gomez is the latest to join the party.
Advertisement
The competition just heated up even further @challenge_dubai on 27 Feb with the addition of @Jgomeznoya to the field! #WeAreTriathlon!
— Challenge Family (@Challenge_Famil) January 19, 2015
Gomez was an unstoppable force in 2014, bagging the Ironman 70.3 World Championship title in Mont Tremblant just a week after being crowned ITU World Triathlon series champ for the fourth time. Challenge Dubai will be his first race in 2015.
“I like half distances races and I really look forward to racing against the best triathletes in this distance. I expect Challenge Dubai is going to be a very tough and fast race because of the highest pro field level,” Gomez said.
With a prize pot of $300k (£198k) and a route dotted with sand dunes and world-famous landmarks, Challenge Dubai has already attracted pro triathletes from around the world, including Germany’s Jan Frodeno and Michael Raelert, New Zealand’s Terenzo Bozzone, and Australia’s Luke McKenzie, Tim Reed, Brad Kahlefeldt and Pete Jacobs.
Not to be outdone, the women’s field includes Switzerland’s Daniela Rfy and Caroline Steffen, Britain’s Jodie Swallow and Leanda Cave, and USA’s Meredith Kessler.
Challenge Dubai is the first race in the Challenge Triple Crown series, which also includes the recently announced Challenge Oman. Challenge Bahrain, whose debut in December 2014 was a tremendous success, will be the final race in the 2015 series, with a $1m (£660k) prize purse up for grabs.
“I’m happy to see how triathlon is growing in the Middle East countries. I’m sure it is something very good for the people, especially for the kids, and it is definitely very positive for our sport,” said Gomez.
Registration for Challenge Dubai is ongoing until January 31. Visit www.challenge-dubai.com for more information.
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Do you think Gomez is a shoe-in to win Dubai? Let us know in the comments below!
British long-course pro Tom Lowe has retired from triathlon, saying that the drive to be the best he can be and comply with a strict training regime has “started to peter out”.
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“To be a successful athlete you need to be committed in both mind and body,” he writes on his blog. “The day before last year’s 70.3 Pescara in Italy, while recceing the bike course on a pleasant summer morning, I cruised up a lovely climb and passed through a quaint village. There was a small amount of hustle and bustle with the locals buying their daily fare, the huge cured legs of prosciutto ham hung in the window of the delicatessen, the ritualistic hit of espresso to get the day started was being honoured and I could smell the warm, fresh bread from the bakers next door.
“I wanted to stop, partake in the culinary delights for 10 minutes, get back on my bike (which, while sipping my coffee, would have miraculously changed from a TT bike into a light climbing steed) and ride for another three or four hours with the sun on my back and friends by my side. For some reason my head wasn’t focused on the race the next day. Unsurprisingly, I had a poor result.”
Realising that this feeling was “not a one-off” last year, Lowe finished 2014 with silver at Ironman Florida and took the chance to think carefully about what he wants to do. “The upshot is that I’ve decided to move on from professional triathlon and carve out a new path. It hasn’t been an easy decision but I’ve sought advice from friends and family and most importantly listened to what my mind is telling me.”
It’s been an amazing journey but it’s time for new adventures. Thank you so much for your support, Tom. http://t.co/opgIjhwhxe
— Tom Lowe (@tomalowe) January 20, 2015
Lowe – whose fiancée Chrissie Wellington is Britain’s most successful Ironman athlete ever – has enjoyed a decade-long career that has seen him pick up wins at the National Elite Duathlon Championships (2006), Ironman 70.3 Muskoka (2012) and Challenge Henley (2013). He also posted the second fastest (to date) British iron-distance time of 8:07:50 at Challenge Barcelona in 2013, and placed 5th at Ironman New Zealand last year.
He becomes the third high-profile pro to retire from triathlon already this year, following similar announcements from British elite Catriona Morrison and New Zealand’s Olympic silver medallist Bevan Docherty.
Signing off, he writes: “I’m not sure what the future will hold as yet but the unknown is also very exciting. I’ll take all of the memories, skills and experience that I’ve gained and developed within triathlon into the next chapter of my life.
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“I’d like to thank everyone that I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the last five years. I will miss it, but leaving the sport now feels absolutely the right thing to do.”
WWE held a talent meeting prior to Sunday night’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view in Hartford, Connecticut, reportedly led by Stephanie McMahon.
Among the topics of discussion, according to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, were the various forms of competition WWE is up against from all manner of entertainment options, including sports, movies, popular television shows, video games and — here’s the kicker — their brand new television rival, All Elite Wrestling.
What’s notable about this is that WWE having talent meetings where they address the company brand and how well they’re doing socially is normal practice for the company, but they’ve never actually (at least since the close of WCW) referred to another wrestling promotion as competition.
Even during TNA’s higher ratings on Spike TV they were never really considered “competition” by WWE officials, even when TNA was constantly firing shots across the bow on weekly television. Their method has generally been to ignore rather than bring attention to.
Last week at the WarnerMedia 2019 upfronts in New York, it was confirmed that All Elite Wrestling had signed a deal to bring a weekly wrestling program to primetime television on the TNT network.
It was later reported that WarnerMedia is actually picking up the tab for weekly production costs, which not even WWE has in their incredibly lucrative contracts with NBC Universal and Fox, as episodes of live wrestling television can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not more in WWE’s case) to produce, and historically, wrestling doesn’t have an off-season.
WWE 205 Live General Manager, Drake Maverick was part of the WWE 24/7 Championship segments on WWE Raw last night, but his chase has continued.
Maverick wasn’t one of the men who got their hands on the title in its debut day, but the Englishman has continued to search for R-Truth, documenting his attempts to become champion on social media.
I am somewhere IN AMERICA on the search for @RonKillings & the @WWE #247Championship
Here are my findings…#WWE #RAW #247Title #SDLive pic.twitter.com/S1M3utiK1P
— My Shoot Name Brand (@WWEMaverick) May 21, 2019
The search for @RonKillings & the @WWE #247Title continues.
Earlier I received an anonymous tip to his location… #WWE #RAW #SDLive #247Championship pic.twitter.com/6xv3aovgcu