USA Triathlon to Host 2024 Youth and Junior Nationals in West Des Moines

The 2024 USA Triathlon Youth & Junior Nationals will be held July 12-14, 2024, in West Des Moines, Iowa, with youth athletes of all experience levels eligible to participate.

USA Triathlon made the announcement in partnership with RipRoar Events and the Flatland Cup Triathlon. The youth and junior nationals will take place within Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines, which in 2008 hosted the final U.S. Olympic qualifying race for the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

“USA Triathlon is proud to partner with RipRoar Events and the Flatland Cup Triathlon to organize the 2024 USA Triathlon Youth & Junior Nationals,” said Victoria Brumfield, USA Triathlon chief executive officer. “Each year, Youth & Junior Nationals showcases the most promising up-and-coming triathlon stars, while welcoming participants of all abilities. We look forward to partnering with fantastic local events like the Flatland Cup Triathlon and RipRoar to provide a premier race experience as we celebrate the performances of these young athletes.”

Since then, Blue Heron Lake has seen some of the largest and fastest triathlons in the sport’s history, including the first-ever Mixed Team Relay World Championships in 2009. West Des Moines has also been home to the Flatland Cup Triathlon, the longest-running elite youth and junior draft-legal triathlon in the United States.

“We’re excited to partner with Rip Roar Triathlon, as we have for many years, to bring the USA Triathlon Youth and Junior Triathlon Championships to Des Moines, Iowa, to show athletes, their families and coaches some good old-fashioned Iowa hospitality and deliver an amazing race experience for America’s fast youth athletes,” said Craig Hanken, race director of the Flatland Cup draft-legal triathlon.

USA Triathlon is also launching its new Youth State Series, a series of local, grassroots youth races across the country that allow youth athletes to get involved in the sport. Each localized series will be owned and operated by the local community and supported by USA Triathlon. Each local series will consist of at least five races and athletes will have the opportunity to earn points and compete for series awards. The format follows the USA Kids Tri Dallas Series, which USA Triathlon launched in spring 2023.

The racing at the youth and junior nationals begins July 13 as draft-legal triathlon stars ages 16-19 and 13-15 will race in USA Triathlon Youth and Junior Nationals at Flatlands West Des Moines. The draft-legal format is the same style of racing contested at the Olympic Games and other elite World Triathlon competitions. On July 14, the racing continues with the non-drafting (ages 6-18) USA Triathlon Youth and Junior Nationals at RipRoar West Des Moines. The Youth & Junior Mixed Relay will also be July 14 with teams made up of four competitors (two boys, two girls), with each team member completing a 250m swim, draft-legal 5k bike and 1.2k run before tagging off to the next athlete.

“We’re thrilled that for 2024 these races will play host, officially, to the top step of our sport,” said RipRoar Race Director Michael Zimmerman. “The best thing about triathlon is its accessibility to anyone with determination and a bike. Athletes of all abilities are welcomed to Sunday’s non-drafting race, including first-time athletes looking to discover a new sport.”