2021 Americas Triathlon Championships now Part of Super Sprint Weekend in Utah
Event in Hurricane will include NCAA qualifier and age group/college divisions
Posted On: September 22, 2021 By :USA Triathlon has announced that its Super Sprint Weekend scheduled for October 30–31 in Hurricane, Utah, will also be the 2021 Americas Triathlon Championships.
The elite, U23 and junior international races will welcome top athletes appointed by the national federations of Americas Triathlon, a continental division of World Triathlon. The 2021 championships were scheduled for September in the Dominican Republic and then postponed to November before the PATCO (Americas Triathlon) Executive Board decided to move the championships to Hurricane, which is located near St. George, Utah, in consideration of international travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.
“USA Triathlon appreciates the work put in by both World Triathlon and Intermountain Tri to bring the 2021 Americas Triathlon Championships to St. George, Utah,” said USA Triathlon Development Manager Joe Maloy. “This event will offer valuable ranking points for our athletes, many of whom already have Paris on their minds. More importantly, it’s also an opportunity for them to have some fun and race in a beautiful setting. Our athletes have shown courage, commitment, and dedication while training through the pandemic, and it’s important we offer these opportunities for them to go out and execute that fitness.”
Held at Quail Creek State Park, the elite and U23 standard-distance event will feature a 1,500-meter swim in the Quail Creek Reservoir, followed by 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run courses along red rock cliffs on either side of the park.
“At a time when there are so many new challenges in the world, we’re thrilled to welcome these elite athletes to the Land of Endurance,” said Kevin Lewis, director of the Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office. “The discipline and commitment triathletes bring with them is a perfect complement to the enduring qualities of our landscapes, our heritage, and our communities.”
The weekend will also include the Americas Triathlon Junior championships, an elite mixed relay, NCAA St. George national qualifier, two elite development races and an age group/collegiate club event. All races will be held with COVID-19 safety measures in place in accordance with guidelines from local health departments and USA Triathlon’s Safe Return to Multisport initiative.
“We strive to elevate triathlon opportunities throughout the intermountain west and advance the aims of USA Triathlon,” said Race Director and Intermountain Tri President Nat Harward. “Utah is the State of Sport, so bringing the 2021 Championships here is a natural fit. It’s great to have the support necessary to put together a weekend like this, which benefits our community and gives eager athletes the chance to earn points on their way to Paris 2024 and LA 2028.”
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