Called Dataworks Technology, the collaboration with its former creative data agency We Are Sweet will centralise and process live performance data to power broadcast visuals and fan-facing second screen experiences. Originally developed for the T100 Triathlon World Tour,  this investment will enable Dataworks to scale its real-time AI capabilities that identify key moments and surface stories as they happen.

From pivotal overtakes to sustained efforts under pressure, live metrics such as heart rate, power, and speed are captured, analysed, and visualised in real-time by the Dataworks platform. These insights give commentators and production teams the tools to turn raw data into clear, compelling stories that enhance fan engagement.

The PTO has taken an equity stake in Dataworks as a co-innovation partner, recognising that this technology will ultimately become ubiquitous across all sports, starting with endurance, but equally essential for team sports, combat, motorsport, esports, and even darts or snooker.

James Haigh, CTO of Dataworks, said: “We’ve been piloting live data with the T100 for two seasons and have been making significant progress. Backing from the PTO now allows us to focus entirely on building a platform that transforms performance data into real-time stories for fans, not just in triathlon, but across any sport.”

Mark Bettels, COO of the PTO, added: “All sports have the potential to tell incredible stories of human performance, overcoming huge adversity and staying cool under unimaginable pressure – but sometimes these key moments are missed, because no-one’s pointed them out and really explained them. Dataworks will be able to identify and contextualise these moments for casual and veteran sports fans alike and help them follow the action in much greater depth. This will not only elevate the viewership experience, but also help inspire participation by making the action more relatable and impressive. We are thrilled to partner with the Dataworks Technology team on this journey.”

T100 Storytelling Example:

During the Singapore T100 women’s 2024 race, Dataworks uncovered a thrilling head-to-head battle between British stars Lucy Buckingham and Lucy Charles-Barclay. Buckingham led the pack, pushing at 98% of her maximum heart rate, while Charles-Barclay, maintaining a more sustainable 86%, trailed just 6 seconds behind. The live data not only highlighted the intensity of the chase but also predicted the inevitable overtake by Charles-Barclay, giving fans deeper insight into the unfolding drama.

The foundational technology already powers the T100 Triathlon Live Data Dashboard which is available at t100triathlon.com/live/ and is packed with extra information on the races. Including pivotal moments in the races, such as lead changes, fastest discipline times, penalty information and more. As well as the live leaderboard, which shows key data such as splits to leader, groups, speeds, positions gained and Heart Rate effort.

The next step for the PTO and Dataworks Technology is to build on that to realise a shared ambition to make live data storytelling an even more fundamental part of how sport is experienced.

-ends- 

For further information: 

Anthony Scammell E: anthony.scammell@protriathletes.org

James Haigh E: james.haigh@dataworks.live

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation 

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, which is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations on a global broadcast showing the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.  In 2025 these will include: Singapore (5-6 April), San Francisco (31 May-1 June), Vancouver (13-15 June), London (9-10 August), France (29-31 August), Valencia (20 September), Wollongong (18 October), Dubai (15-16 November) and Qatar (12-13 December) for the first Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final. T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateur athletes of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com

About Dataworks Technology 

Dataworks Technology is a platform built to discover and visualise stories from sports performance data. Industry-leading AI analyses incoming feeds in realtime to identify meaningful moments within the raw data. These moments are combined into coherent narratives and visualised to engage and inform fans.

The platform is ingest-agnostic and can take inputs from historical, live and biometric data sources. All data is centralised and processed in the cloud, allowing for consistent, scalable and flexible distribution. Designed for scale, Dataworks can deploy unified HTML graphics across multiple formats, including broadcast, altcast, dashboards, social media, fan apps and venue screens. 

For further information visit www.dataworks.live  

The post Professional Triathletes Organisation Invests In New Tech Venture To Redefine Live Data Storytelling In Sport appeared first on PTO.

• SURJ joins Series C funding round alongside founding investor Sir Michael Moritz, Cordillera Investment Partners and Verance Capital 

• Investment to fuel PTO’s global expansion and mass participation strategy, including planned growth in Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region 

• Partnership reflects SURJ’s commitment to building new platforms that empower athletes, inspire fans, and promote active lifestyles 

• Verance Capital joins PTO as a strategic investor, bringing differentiated experience across North American sports and entertainment properties

London, UK: The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) today announced the successful completion of a Series C funding round, led by SURJ Sports Investment (SURJ) and supported by Cordillera, Verance Capital and Sir Michael Moritz.

The funding will support the PTO’s continued international growth, innovation in race formats, and long-term athlete and fan engagement. It will also help accelerate the PTO’s expansion into the MENA region, with Saudi Arabia a likely future host market for its flagship T100 Triathlon World Tour.

Danny Townsend, CEO of SURJ Sports Investment, said: “The PTO is redefining endurance sport for modern audiences – blending elite racing with inclusive, mass participation formats, global storytelling and community engagement. We’re proud to support this next phase of growth and to explore how the model can inspire more people across the region to get active. I saw the power of the platform first-hand at the 2024 finale in Dubai – and it’s clear the T100 Tour is just getting started.”

SURJ Sports Investment was established in 2023 to develop a world-class sports sector in Saudi Arabia and beyond, through strategic investments in leading rights holders and high-growth enablers across the global sports ecosystem.

Sir Michael Moritz, who led the Series A round and has remained a key supporter through Series B and now Series C, continues to double down on the PTO’s long-term potential. Speaking to media following the T100 World Championship Final in Dubai last year – the culmination of the Tour’s first full season – he reflected on what drew him to the sport five years ago: “The reason for my original investment was simple. I thought triathlon was a niche sport that, with a dose of creativity and imagination along with the explosion of online video channels, could be transformed into a compelling spectator sport and a much more attractive proposition for everyday participants. The excitement that has built around T100 demonstrates that we’re well on the way to doing so.”

Verance Capital (Verance), led by sports industry veteran Lyle Ayes, has also joined the investment round, bringing decades of experience across the North American sports landscape. Verance has invested across the sports and entertainment ecosystem since its launch in 2021, including in high-growth properties.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the PTO in this investment. We assess many emerging sports properties, but the global scale, dedicated base of athletes and premium competition gives T100 a unique edge in a dynamic endurance market. We’re excited to bring our skillset to the table to help them continue their remarkable growth.”

Today’s announcement follows a $10 million investment from Cordillera Investment Partners in March 2025 and builds on previous rounds led by Divergent Investments, Warner Bros. Discovery, and health-focused venture fund Eckuity.

Sam Renouf, CEO of the PTO, added: “We’re delighted to welcome SURJ and Verance Capital to the PTO investor family. This is a major milestone not only for us as an organisation, but for the broader vision of triathlon’s future. Our goal has always been to reimagine the sport for modern audiences and open up participation to athletes of all levels. With new partners like SURJ and Verance, we’re better equipped than ever to scale our ambitions globally. The momentum from our record-breaking Singapore event is just the beginning of what we hope to achieve in 2025 and beyond.”

The Series C investment comes at a time of rapid growth for the PTO. In 2024, the organisation launched the T100 Triathlon World Tour, a reimagined endurance series featuring the world’s top 20 male and female triathletes, competing alongside amateur athletes in major global cities including Singapore, San Francisco, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, and Dubai.

In 2025, the T100 Tour has expanded from seven to nine races. It returned to Singapore (5–6 April), where 7,000 amateur participants took part in a mix of triathlon and duathlon events — as well as an untimed 5km music run designed to attract first-time participants. Other races include San Francisco (31 May–1 June), Vancouver (13–15 June), London (9–10 August), France (30–31 August), Valencia (20 September), Wollongong (18 October), Dubai (15–16 November) and Qatar (12–13 December), which will host the first Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final as part of a new five-year partnership with Visit Qatar.

-ends-

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, which is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations on a global broadcast showing the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.  In 2025 these will include: Singapore (5-6 April), San Francisco (31 May-1 June), Vancouver (13-15 June), London (9-10 August), France (30-31 August), Valencia (20 September), Wollongong (18 October), Dubai (15-16 November) and Qatar (12-13 December) for the first Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final. T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateur athletes of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com

About SURJ Sports Investment

SURJ (/Surge/) Sports Investment, a PIF company, is fueling the growth of international sport through strategic investments with global and local resonance. Its mandate centers on investing in global rights holders and key enablers in the global sports ecosystem – investments that will generate long-term returns, empower sports and sports-adjacent businesses to innovate and reach new audiences and create new experiences. SURJ Sports Investment is unlocking game-changing opportunities, inspiring the next generation of talent and fans in Saudi Arabia, the wider MENA region and beyond.

For more about SURJ Sports Investment, visit www.surjsports.com

 About Verance Capital

Verance Capital is a New York-based growth equity firm that partners with leading entrepreneurs and management teams in sports, media and entertainment. With a flexible and long-term approach to investing, Verance leverages its industry expertise and an expansive network to drive success for its partners.

For more information about Verance Capital, visit www.verancecap.com

The post Professional Triathletes Organisation Announces Series C Funding Led By SURJ Sports Investment & Sir Michael Moritz appeared first on PTO.

The event will once again take place around the picturesque Lake Las Vegas on the grounds of Reflection Bay Golf Club and The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa (picture below), which this year becomes the ‘Official Headquarters of Lake Las Vegas T100 Triathlon’. 

New for 2025 will be an improved 80km bike route for amateur participants doing the 100km triathlon (2km swim, 80km bike, 18km run), that takes in America’s first National Recreation Area at Lake Mead – a year-round national park offering a unique blend of natural beauty and historical significance. Amateurs will do a single loop, out and back course, that will navigate its way through the park’s mountains, canyons and valleys. For more details visit https://t100triathlon.com/lake-las-vegas/participate/#courses

It’s a place where natural grandeur meets peaceful solitude, offering a unique and unforgettable connection to the wild heart of the American Southwest. All just a stone’s throw from the dazzling lights of Las Vegas. The run climax to the race will also be different for this year, with the famous LED T100 finish arch being situated waterside at the Reflection Bay Golf Club. 

Commenting on the news, PTO CEO Sam Renouf said: 

“We are very excited to be able to announce such a significant course upgrade for the Lake Las Vegas T100 event in 2025. The inaugural staging of this event in 2024 opened everyone’s eyes to the beauty and possibilities of Lake Las Vegas and the surrounding area. Which has been a significant factor in now being able to secure a bike course which will take our amateur participants into the stunning Lake Mead National Recreation Area. An extraordinary outdoor playground where desert landscapes meet the tranquil blues of sprawling reservoirs.”

The new bike course will be a stern test for the amateurs, with more than 3,600 feet of elevation, which promises to be the most on a T100 circuit in 2025. 

City of Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero, who was instrumental in bringing the T100 series to Lake Las Vegas in 2024 and has worked hard locally to secure this new, improved for traffic course for 2025, said:

“Southern Nevada, and especially Henderson, has become a premier sports and entertainment destination and last year, the Lake Las Vegas T100 showcased the world’s best professionals racing head-to-head on a global broadcast seen by more than 10 million fans around the globe. The event also featured the brightest amateurs from the triathlon and endurance sports community, and all participants and attendees enjoyed the diverse and beautiful backdrop of Lake Las Vegas in Henderson. This is a great tourism opportunity for our City and we look forward to welcoming the Lake Las Vegas T100 show back for 2025!”

As well as the 100km professional and amateur events, the weekend will also see individual 2km and 4km open water swims in Lake Las Vegas. 

The 2025 T100 Triathlon World Tour got under way in Singapore earlier this month (5-6 April) when Great Britain’s Kate Waugh and New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde produced two world class performances to win in the heat and humidity of the Lion City and take the lead in the T100 Race To Qatar Rankings. The next leg of the T100 Tour will be in San Francisco on 31 May, when the world top 20 female and top 20 male triathletes will take on the legendary Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon – a bucket list race for both professionals and amateurs worldwide. 

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org  

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, which is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations on a global broadcast showing the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.  In 2025 these will include: Singapore (5-6 April), San Francisco (31 May-1 June), Vancouver (13-15 June), London (9-10 August), France (29-31 August), Valencia (20 September), Lake Las Vegas (25-26 October), Dubai (15-16 November) and Qatar (12-13 December) for the first Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final. T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateur athletes of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com 

The post Lake Las Vegas Triathlon Confirmed For October 25-26, 2025 – With Spectacular Amateur Bike Course In Lake Mead National Recreation Area appeared first on PTO.

Ramsey is an experienced, senior executive with a proven track record of commercial success right across the sports industry, having worked in football for The FA and Southampton Football Club; and been Head of Brand Partnerships at both the British Olympic Association and Socios.com. He joins the PTO from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) where he was instrumental in securing a £100m naming rights deal of what is now known as the Allianz Stadium located in Twickenham last year and recently agreed a partnership for England’s rugby teams with Apple. 

“Triathlon is a personal passion of mine and to be part of its growth journey to take it mainstream is hugely exciting,” said Ramsey.  “The opportunity for professional and amateur athletes, sports fans and organisations to unlock value from triathlon as well as endurance sports at scale is something the PTO has in its sights following a first season of the T100 series which has made impressive strides.”

Ramsey will start next month after the PTO’s season-opening T100 event in Singapore on 5-6 April. He is the second significant hire for the PTO in two weeks, following the appointment of Kerry Taylor as Chief Marketing Officer. As it builds on its first, successful season of the T100 Triathlon World Tour and continues its mission to elevate the sport of triathlon and take it mainstream. 

“We can’t wait for Stuart to join the team as our first Chief Commercial Officer,” said PTO CEO Sam Renouf. “Given the interest the T100 and our strategic partnership with World Triathlon has started to generate both within the triathlon and endurance sports bubble and beyond it, as well as our ambition to partner with mainstream brands to help propel the series and our amazing athletes to new heights, it was the right time to get in someone with Stuart’s energy and experience to help us deliver that next, important step.” 

The 2024 7-leg T100 Triathlon World Tour established the new 100km distance (2km swim, 80km bike & 18km run) and created a season-long narrative in the sport for the first time, representing a significant step forward in professionalising triathlon. At an amateur level, T100 multisport weekends hosted more than 20,000 participants in Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. It also highlighted the opportunity to do much more following successful shortlistings for Best Newcomer and Tech in Sport at the prestigious 2025 Sports Industry Awards. 

The 2025 T100 Triathlon World Tour will take place across nine races, including a return to Singapore to start the new series next month (5-6 April). It will then go to San Francisco (31 May-1 June), Vancouver (13-15 June), France (27-29 June), London (9-10 August), Valencia (20 September), Lake Las Vegas and Dubai (15-16 November). Before climaxing in Qatar for the new Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (12-13 December) following a five-year partnership with Visit Qatar. 

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org 

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, which is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations on a global broadcast showing the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.  In 2025 these will include: Singapore, San Francisco, Vancouver, the French Riviera, London, Valencia, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and then Qatar for the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final. T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateur athletes of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com  

The post Stuart Ramsey Joins Professional Triathletes Organisation As Its First Chief Commercial Officer appeared first on PTO.

Cordillera Investment Partners is an investment management firm that exclusively invests in niche, non-correlated assets and believes the PTO is a perfect fit for its growing portfolio of companies that are under the radar to the institutional investment world but demonstrate compelling growth and return potential. 

“For over 10 years, it has been our mission to find the “nooks and crannies” within overlooked sectors of the global economy,” said Agustin “Gus” Araya, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner at Cordillera. “Sports is an industry we have had a thesis on for some time, and the Professional Triathletes Organisation is a prime example of an emerging league in a corner of the sports universe that is growing in popularity and fandom. We are thrilled to support Sam and the professional triathletes on their next phase of growth.”

Within sports, Cordillera sees opportunities in emerging leagues and formats, women’s sports, sports-related professional services businesses, and professional teams in lower tiers of competition. Since 2014, Cordillera has made investments into sports media rights, whiskey, boat marinas, carbon credits, and other niche sectors.

PTO CEO Sam Renouf responded to the news by saying: 

“We are thrilled to have Cordillera’s support as we continue to elevate triathlon. Professional triathletes have seen the rise of our sport but the growth at the pro end hasn’t necessarily tracked the participation growth. Football, the NFL and tennis have been multibillion-dollar sports for a long time. Triathlon has really been in the dark ages from a commercial and broadcast perspective, and that’s why the PTO was formed.”

“Triathlon appeals to the executive and the professional class – which is a very attractive group to market to. The whole point of the PTO is that although you have this incredibly valuable market that is global, it is completely fragmented by the lack of a media product and season-long narrative to showcase our amazing athletes.”

In 2024, the PTO launched the T100 Triathlon World Tour, which featured the world’s top 20 female and top 20 male triathletes, along with amateur competitors, to compete head-to-head on a live global broadcast feed in a series of events in major cities including Singapore, San Francisco, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai.

In 2025, the T100 Triathlon World Tour will grow from seven to nine races, including a return to Singapore on 5-6 April, to start the series next month, then San Francisco (31 May-1 June), Vancouver (13-15 June), France (27-29 June), London (9-10 August), Valencia (20 September), Lake Las Vegas, Dubai (15-16 November) and Qatar (12-13 December) for the new Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final, following a five-year partnership with Visit Qatar.  

The founding investor in the PTO was Sir Michael Moritz in 2020. Other investors who have joined Sir Michael and the professional athletes to take the sport into the mainstream, include: Divergent Investments, an innovative private equity fund; Warner Bros. Discovery, a leading global media and entertainment company; and health-focused venture fund, Eckuity, when the PTO announced a Series B funding round in December 2022. 

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org 

Madison Hanlon, on behalf of Cordillera: pro-cordillera@prosek.com

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, which is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations on a global broadcast showing the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.  In 2025 these will include: Singapore, San Francisco, Vancouver, France, London, Valencia, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and then Qatar for the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final. T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateur athletes of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com  

About Cordillera Investment Partners 

Cordillera Investment Partners is an investment management firm focused on investing in niche, non-correlated assets. Its investments are generally in sectors that are misunderstood, undercapitalized and uncorrelated with traditional assets. Cordillera manages over $1.5 billion of capital on behalf of endowments, foundations, family offices, wealth advisors and other institutional investors. For more information on Cordillera, please visit www.cordillera-ip.com

The post Professional Triathletes Organisation Welcomes Cordillera Investment Partners As A New Investor appeared first on PTO.

Taylor is a seasoned, senior marketing executive with extensive experience in the entertainment, sports and hospitality sectors, having worked with Paramount, LIV Golf and F1 Arcade. 

She is a significant hire as the PTO builds on its first, successful season of the T100 Triathlon World Tour and continues its mission to elevate the sport of triathlon and take it mainstream. 

“I am thrilled to be joining the Professional Triathletes Organisation and contributing to its incredible mission,” said Taylor.  “The PTO has already made great strides with the T100 and I am excited to be part of the next chapter as it continues to celebrate the amazing professional athletes who make triathlon so special and at the same time redefine the sport for every athlete through its fast growing mass participation offer.”

Taylor served as Executive Vice President of Entertainment Brands for Paramount, overseeing prominent channels such as MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network and BET across 180 markets outside the United States. In this role, she was instrumental in revitalizing the MTV brand globally, implementing a successful franchise strategy, and commissioning content that drove worldwide acclaim.  

In March 2022, Taylor joined LIV Golf Investments as Chief Marketing Officer. During her tenure, she was responsible for global brand and marketing initiatives, including communications, digital strategies, research and analytics, membership and loyalty programs, and event marketing. 

In May 2023, Taylor expanded her leadership portfolio by joining the board of Azzurri group as a non-executive director.  Azzurri operates popular restaurant brands such as Zizzi, Ask and Daves Hot Chicken. Since leaving LIV Golf, she has been working with F1 Arcade, a start-up that offers immersive Formula 1 racing simulation experiences, to facilitate the brand’s expansion into the US market.

“We are excited to have Kerry join the team,” said PTO CEO Sam Renouf. “Her experience at Paramount developing and building global TV channels, and then at LIV Golf and F1 Arcade in engaging new audiences and creating immersive experiences which built loyalty and fame is exactly what we need for the next phase of our journey with professional and amateur triathletes, in order to take swim, bike and run beyond the bubble of triathlon and into the mainstream.” 

The 2024 7-leg T100 Triathlon World Tour established the new 100km distance (2km swim, 80km bike & 18km run) and created a season-long narrative in the sport for the first time, representing a significant step forward in professionalising triathlon. At an amateur level, T100 multisport weekends hosted more than 20,000 participants in Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai, and highlighted the opportunity to do much more.  

The 2025 T100 Triathlon World Tour will take place across nine races, including a return to Singapore to start the new series next month (5-6 April). It will then go to San Francisco (31 May-1 June), Vancouver (13-15 June), France (27-29 June), London (9-10 August), Valencia (20 September), Lake Las Vegas and Dubai (15-16 November). Before climaxing in Qatar for the new Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (12-13 December) following a five-year partnership with Visit Qatar. 

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org 

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, which is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations on a global broadcast showing the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.  In 2025 these will include: Singapore, San Francisco, Vancouver, the French Riviera, London, Valencia, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and then Qatar for the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final. T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateur athletes of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com  

The post Kerry Taylor Joins Professional Triathletes Organisation As Chief Marketing Officer appeared first on PTO.

Called the T1 Indoor Triathlon World Cup, the event will be delivered in partnership with the Lievin Triathlon Club, which has successfully produced the innovative Lievin Indoor Triathlon Festival for the past three years. It will take place on 22 March, 2025, and will see once again this dynamic format for triathlon, all delivered in a made-for-TV, spectator-friendly format.

“When we launched the T100 Triathlon World Tour, our stated aim was to take triathlon into the mainstream,” said Sam Renouf, PTO CEO. “We’ve seen huge progress in our inaugural year, surging past our previous broadcast records and growing our social media viewership to the largest in the sport, with over 500 million video views of our content last year. Our decision to participate in this developing fast and furious format of Indoor racing lets us explore further partnership opportunities and seek to further promote triathlon and the incredible performances of its professional athletes.”

The T1 Indoor Triathlon World Cup will consist of a 200m swim, 2,8km bike and 1km run – and uniquely takes place entirely live and indoors, with a specially built 25m pool situated within a 200m oval track, where the bike and leg segments are done. The racing action is the fastest in the sport – with the leading athletes taking less than 10 minutes to complete the course.

The format was tested last year as a World Triathlon Cup, and for the previous two years as a Europe Triathlon Cup, and since its launch has been one of the most engaging events, both for athletes and fans on the World Triathlon calendar.

The President of Lievin Triathlon Club, Lolo Szewczyk, said:

“We are excited to be partnering with the Professional Triathletes Organisation to take indoor triathlon further on the global stage. This has been a project of passion for our club over the past two years, working closely together with World Triathlon, which has been warmly embraced by the global triathlon community, such as last year’s champions Vetle Bergsvik Thorn and Mixed Relay Olympic Gold medalist Laura Lindemann. In adding the involvement of the PTO together with World Triathlon we are excited for this year’s Indoor World Cup event, we declare ambitions to make Indoor Triathlon a fixture of the professional calendar – and Lievin as its spiritual home.”

The elite racing for the T1 Indoor Triathlon World Cup in Lievin will feature 120 men and women competing, with 12 athletes in each heat. The event format incorporates heats, semi-finals, repechage and finals. In addition to the elite racing, an exclusive number of age group races will be on offer, as well as dedicated youth-focused races during the event week. The registration for age groupers will launch soon, with elite registration following the standard process for a World Triathlon World Cup level event.

The event will offer all elite athletes similar points to all other World Cups, 500 points to the winner, and a prize purse of $60,000 USD, while being promoted on the global stage by leveraging the PTO’s award winning experience in digital and live broadcast production and distribution. Further details of how to watch the event will be announced in due course.    

-ends-

 For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, which is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations with a global broadcast showing the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.  In 2024 these included: Singapore, San Francisco, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateurs of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com  

About World Triathlon

World Triathlon is the international governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon, cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the programme at Tokyo 2020, while para triathlon was first added to the Paralympic programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the sport to be extraordinary.

The post Professional Triathletes Organisation Announces Partnership With World Triathlon And The Lievin Triathlon Club For The Indoor World Cup In Lievin appeared first on PTO.

Lucy Charles-Barclay leads the final eight female athletes who have earned contracts. The British star led the T100 standings after two races in 2024 following second place finishes in Miami and Singapore, but her campaign fell away after pulling up in London due to injury and not being able to race again that year. The eight are: 

1. Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR)
2. Caroline Pohle (GER) 
3. Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR) 
4. Ellie Salthouse (AUS) 
5. Els Visser (NED) 
6. Marta Sanchez (ESP)
7. Grace Thek (AUS) 
8. Hannah Berry (NZL) 

They will join the other twelve women already announced, including: Taylor Knibb (USA), Ashleigh Gentle (AUS), Julie Derron (SUI), Flora Duffy (BER), Lucy Byram (GBR), India Lee (GBR), Imogen Simmonds (SUI) and Paula Findlay (CAN). Plus Hotshots: Taylor Spivey (USA), Kate Waugh (GBR), Jess Learmonth (GBR) and Laura Madsen (DEN). 

“Last year, I started the T100 series on a high note with solid performances in Miami and Singapore,” said the 2023 Ironman World Champion. “Unfortunately, an injury in London cut my season short, which was a tough setback. While it was heartbreaking at the time, it gave me a chance to reset and focus on coming back stronger. This year, I’m looking forward to giving my best and seeing how far I can go in the 2025 T100 series. I’m excited to embrace the journey and take it one step at a time.”

Lake Las Vegas T100 winner and 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Champion Jelle Geens leads the final eight male athletes who secure season-long contracts to race in the second year of the new global series, thanks to his PTO World Ranking.  The other seven men have been chosen in World Ranking order, so the line-up is: 

1. Jelle Geens (BEL) 
2. Mika Noodt (GER)
3. Justus Nieschlag (GER) 
4. Gregory Barnaby (ITA)
5. Antonio Benito-Lopez (ESP) 
6. Nicolas Mann (GER) 
7. Menno Koolhaas (NED) 
8. Jason West (USA) 

They will join the other twelve men already announced including: Marten Van Riel (BEL), Kyle Smith (NZL), Rico Bogen (GER), Sam Long (USA), Mathis Margirier (FRA), Pieter Heemeryck (BEL), Youri Keulen (NED) and Fred Funk (GER). Plus Hotshots: Hayden Wilde (NZL), Léo Bergère (FRA), Vincent Luis (FRA) and Morgan Pearson (USA). 

“My T100 debut as a wildcard in Las Vegas couldn’t have gone any better,” said Geens, who inflicted T100 men’s World Champion Marten Van Riel’s only T100 defeat of last season. “So I’m very excited to earn a contract for the full season and give myself the opportunity to test myself against Marten and the best triathletes in the world on a consistent basis. I really believe I’ve got a great chance in the series over the 100km distance, but looking at the full athlete line-up it will be super tough, as I think it’s even more competitive than 2024.”

2024 saw the PTO launch the new 7-leg T100 Triathlon World Tour, which featured the world’s top 20 female and top 20 male triathletes compete head-to-head in a series of iconic locations – including Singapore, San Francisco, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and then Dubai for November’s T100 Triathlon World Championship Final. 

The PTO has so far announced seven T100 events for 2025, including: Singapore (5-6 April); San Francisco (31 May-1 June); London (9-10 August); Ibiza (September TBA); Lake Las Vegas (TBA); and Dubai on 15-16 November.  For further details, visit: www.t100triathlon.com 

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org 

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, which is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations with a global broadcast showing the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.  In 2024 these included: Singapore, San Francisco, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateurs of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com  

The post World Champions Lucy Charles-Barclay And Jelle Geens Announced As Final Contracted Athletes On 2025 Triathlon World Tour appeared first on PTO.

The Belgian won the vote from a competitive shortlist of: 

• Taylor Knibb – Ironman 70.3 World Champion for the third time, securing her status as the indisputable best triathlete in the world right now.
• Kat Matthews – Second at her second World Championship of the year, in the process claiming the first ever Ironman Pro Series title.
• Morgan Pearson – Announced himself as a middle distance triathlete with victory at Indian Wells 70.3, beating fellow American Matt McElroy.

“It was a crazy day,” said Geens, who passed long time leader Hayden Wilde late on the run in Taupō to secure his second major victory of the season – following his win at the Lake Las Vegas T100 in October – and move him to 4th in the PTO World Rankings.  “It will take time for it to really sink in. This is something I dreamed of.”

Belgium has been on the rise in triathlon this year, with Geens’ compatriot, Marten Van Riel, becoming the inaugural T100 World Champion in Dubai in November, 2024.  

“I’ve been in this sport a long time and I’ve been doing ITU a long time and it’s really had its ups and downs. I would say the last one and a half years in short course racing has been really tough mentally, but to step up now to middle distance racing and in my first try to become a World Champion, it’s incredible.”

Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Tri-Mag.de, Triathlon Magazine & Triathlete.com make up the panel of triathlon media who voted on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist, awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. Votes were also counted from online triathlon fans who had their say via the T100 social handles. Geens received the top vote from two of the triathlon media judges and the social poll.  

-ends-

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org 

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour was the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It was a season-long schedule of T100 races during 2024 that was competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and featured the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October) and then the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November). There were also racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at five stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Jelle Geens Wins December’s Professional Triathletes Organisation Athlete of the Month appeared first on PTO.

The American beat off competition for the monthly award from:

• Georgia Taylor-Brown – who won her first middle distance race at Ironman 70.3 Bahrain.

• Alistair Brownlee – who wrapped up his incredible career with his first ever T100 podium in Dubai.

• Marten Van Riel – who’d made it three wins from four and clinched the T100 Triathlon World Tour title, fighting off Rico Bogen in an epic run battle.

In Knibb’s post race debrief with T100 commentator Jack Kelly, he admitted to not picking her to win in Dubai for the first time this season [he’d gone for Swiss star Julie Derron], but said he would always pick her from now on and that her win was probably the grittiest and toughest performance he’d seen her put in.

“I take no offence from you not picking me to win,” she responded. “I wouldn’t have picked me to win. I messaged Dan [Lorang, her coach] this morning and said ‘I feel rough’. I don’t know how I’m going to walk out on that pontoon. Let alone go and race. I was here in [in UAE] March eight months ago for the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) Abu Dhabi and I was ready to race and I’ve been holding onto that fitness ever since. So I’m shocked by that [win]. But I think the big thing was patience and that is something that’s not a strength of mine. I had to be very patient and listen to how my body was feeling the whole day. It was all heart-rate based and I had to stick to my plan.”

Asked when she realised she’d won the race and the T100 World Championship, she said: “When I got to the finish line.”

Invited to rank where this victory stood in her hierarchy of career wins, Taylor said:

“Well, I think the ones where you fight for it and doubt yourself…That swim was just so long. The whole day was just so long…I’m very grateful and I’m very shocked.”

She also talked about the competition and the extremely gutsy performances from second placed Swiss Julie Derron, third placed Australian Ashleigh Gentle and a flying fourth from Bermudan Flora Duffy; saying: ‘Well we could have a very different conversation a year from now. Everyone’s coming. Someone said Flora had a 1hr 03 min run [which was the fastest of the day by more than one minute]. So she’s coming. There are so many women here, so I just think it’s going to take women’s professional triathlon to a new level. I’m grateful to be a part of it, but I know that everyone’s coming.”

Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Tri-Mag.de, Triathlon Magazine & Triathlete.com make up the panel of triathlon media who voted on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist, awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. Votes were also counted from online triathlon fans who had their say via the T100 social handles. Taylor received the top vote from all four of the triathlon media judges to receive a winning total of 13 points.

-ends-

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of T100 races during 2024 that are competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and features the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October) and then the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November). There have also been racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at five stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Taylor Knibb Wins November’s PTO Athlete Of The Month appeared first on PTO.

Speaking exclusively to the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) in Dubai before he flew home to Yorkshire, the 36-year-old revealed that ‘winning two Olympic gold medals….especially that race in London’ were the undoubted highlights of an 18-year career. But that he is now conscious he is ‘putting the miles on the clock and wearing things down’ and still wants to stay fit and be active for other challenges so ‘ultimately, it just feels really right’ to announce his retirement now. 

The interview can be found here with the full transcript below. 

PTO CEO Sam Renouf acknowledged Brownlee’s unprecedented contribution to the sport by saying:

“For me, Alistair must rank as one of the world’s very best, if not the best, professional triathlete.  Not only for his phenomenal successes in the sport but also how he changed the sport – through the way he raced, the way he trained and the way he has dedicated his life to triathlon. He has also been an influential figure in the early days of the Professional Triathletes Organisation as an Athlete Board Member and I was extremely honoured that we were able to have him competing across all seven races of our inaugural T100 Triathlon World Tour with a podium placing in Dubai as his final professional event.”

Brownlee leaves the sport with an astonishing list of accomplishments. Outside of those two spectacular Olympic Gold medals in 2012 and 2016, he won Commonwealth Gold in 2014 and is also a four-time World Triathlon Champion – including winning junior, under 23 and two senior titles. He has also notched up five European Championship titles – once as a junior. In World Triathlon racing, the Yorkshireman earned 38 wins and 54 podiums from his 90 starts. He also found success in long-course, taking second at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2018 and 2019 and now bows out in style after a third at the first-ever T100 Triathlon World Championship Final.

During 2024, Brownlee has competed in the inaugural season of the T100 Triathlon World Tour, a new 7-leg season of 100km triathlon (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) races featuring the world’s top 20 male and top 20 female triathletes racing head-to-head on a live global broadcast beamed to 195+ markets around the globe. 

Starting in Miami (9 March), it touched down in Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October) and then Dubai at the weekend (16-17 November) for the T100 Triathlon World Championship Final. Designated by the sport’s international governing body, World Triathlon, as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’, Brownlee came third in Dubai to register his first podium of the season and finished fifth in the overall T100 standings. 

The 2024 T100 World Championship crowns went to Belgium’s Marten Van Riel and America’s Taylor Knibb. The 2025 T100 Triathlon World Tour season will start in Singapore at the beginning of April, with six other legs already confirmed in France, San Francisco, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai – and an ambition from the PTO to add more in the coming months. 

Tell us about your retirement Alistair?

 Alistair Brownlee (AB): Most people have been saying, are you all right? And I’m like, yeah, it’s great. I’m really happy with the decision.

How does it feel to have the T100 Triathlon World Championship Final in Dubai be the last race of a phenomenal career in this sport?

AB: I feel like I’ve been around the block a bit in triathlon. I’m now 36. I have basically been a professional athlete since I was 18, so it’s a long time. Over those years, triathlon was very literally a childhood dream for me to be a professional athlete. And I definitely achieved way, way beyond anything I could imagine.

So, I feel like I’ve done alright. And racing in T100 this year has probably been more about the racing per se. I mean, I am a competitor. I want to be on the start line and compete to the best of my ability. And so it’s been great to have a good result here in Dubai. But I also really believe in the importance – without sounding too high minded – of what T100 and the PTO are trying to do. Taking triathlon to those new audiences, to really engage fans and, most importantly, new fans of the sport. To raise athlete’s profiles, to give them the opportunity to race on the biggest stage and motivate and inspire a new generation of athletes into endurance sport. So it’s been fantastic to race this year in the T100.  

I was pretty confident all year that this was going to be my last year racing, but I wanted to get to the end of the year and really see how I felt without making a rash decision. So it’s been special.

What made that decision for you?

AB: It’s many factors that have gone into that decision. Ultimately, it just feels really right. I know it is a kind of a wishy washy kind of thing to say, but it does and I’m really happy with it.

It’s a combination of…I have been doing it for a long time and there’s so many other things in sport I want to be able to do. I want to be able to do all kinds of endurance challenges. I want to stay fit and healthy and be part of sport, hopefully into my old age. And I’m definitely aware, you know, putting the miles on the clock and wearing things down. So I want to retire fit and healthy and not be forced to retire by injury and illness or whatever.

It has got more difficult for me. I can’t do anywhere near the training that I used to be able to do. So I also found it hard at times being on the start line, knowing that I’m not prepared to the level that I’d like to be. And I’m older. I’m 36. I’ve done it for a long time and there’s a lot of other things I want to do with my life.

And when you look back on your career, what are the highlights that stand out?

AB: That’s obviously an easy one. Winning two Olympic gold medals are the highlights. Especially that race in London. I’ve used this anecdote many times, but I was in school when London won that bid and it was seven years before the Olympic Games. And so that was a massive part of my life. And then to pull it off on that day was phenomenal. And then to do it again in Rio as well. But I think, as well, you know, the success and racing so many times over all those years. I actually did think of trying to look into it and see how many top level races I’ve done over all those years. But I haven’t done it yet.

How do you want to be remembered in this sport? And how do you think you’re perceived in this sport by your competitors?

AB: I guess that’s a question for other people to answer. I mean, I’m not really that person that, you know, not trying, I guess, to worry about the narrative too much of what other people think. And I just try to do what’s right. And so, yeah, I’d like to be remembered as someone who obviously won lots of races and was competitive.

 I’d like my legacy to be much bigger than that. And that’s one of the many things that I want to work on. When I’ve got more time not trying to race. And the charity, the Foundation [Brownlee Foundation] is a big part of that. I really believe in the importance of sport in everyone’s life. It was absolutely crucial to my life. I believe young children need to discover if they have a passion for it. As early as possible and then be engaged in sport. And I think triathlon is an amazing vessel to engage people across the three sports. And that’s very much what we try and do with the Foundation. And I’d like to do a lot more of that in the future.

I know a little bit about the [Brownlee] Foundation and the impact that it’s having on such a cross-section of people. Can you tell me a little bit about that and also what you get from that?

AB: I’m very proud of the impact that the Brownlee Foundation has had now over ten years. It’s something that I want to continue to work on and grow over the next ten years with a bit more time and energy to do it.

I recommend everyone go to an event and volunteer if you can because they’re just incredibly inspiring days. I’m seeing young people who haven’t experienced sport in that way before. It can be fun. It can be inclusive. It can be competitive, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be about participation. There’s hundreds of examples we’ve got of school classes coming together to share maybe one of their slowest friends and across the line. And one of the examples, we’ve got people and teachers coming back and saying, ‘you know, so-and-so did it for the first time last year and now he’s back and he’s joined a triathlon club or swimming club or whatever, and he’s inspired on that day’. So, yeah, we get an awful lot of satisfaction from that.

Thinking of this year, do you not think that you could still compete for wins in the T100 series in 2025?

AB: I think I probably could compete for wins in the T100. But there’s so many factors now out of my control. I probably can’t beat the very top guys on that day. Someone like Martin [Van Riel], who’d have to have a bad day for me to win. And most frustratingly, the thing that I found the hardest competing now is I built a career on the ethos that I was the best prepared I possibly could be on the start line and I basically I can’t do that.

The training intensity I’ve done, you know, I still train hard and love it and enjoy it, but I can only do a fraction, basically, of the training I used to be able to do. And that means just standing on the start line thinking, ‘Yeah, I’m kind of here and you know, obviously I’m going to race as hard as I can and push and try and beat people, but I just don’t have the engine and the tools to actually win races in that way’.

And the unpredictability. This year, just kind of random injuries. You know, my body obviously is way more prone to injuries now, the illnesses like having problems with just being ill, kind of fatigue kind of stuff. I’ve never had illnesses like that in my whole career. So, yeah, and I don’t want to spend months of my life focusing and training hard and then for something to go wrong in the five days before a race. That unpredictability is something I found very tough.

What this what does this podium in Dubai mean to you personally?

AB: The podium in Dubai is very special. Obviously there’s been lots of frustrating…it’s been a frustrating year. With all kinds of reasons and so to get a podium here in my last race is obviously very special.

Was it always important for you to go out still on top and competing?

AB: I never really gave too much thought about how I wanted to go out. And if you asked me this question ten years ago, I would say I’m definitely not the kind of person who would race till I was 36. I’ll compete well and then love to retire and move on and do something completely different. But here I am ten years later and at some point in those years, my mind frame shifted too. Yeah, don’t worry too much about being on top and being super competitive in what you’re doing, actually, if you do it because you still want to get out of bed every morning and go and train hard and compete and you enjoy doing it, you take a lot of satisfaction from doing that. That’s what you should do, whether you’re competitive or not. And that’s ultimately why I’m still here. So, yeah, I guess the answer to that question is I never gave it too much thought of it like that. But yeah, ultimately I am still competing because I love it otherwise I would have retired a long time ago.

Was it important to you to be a part of the T100 inaugural year and, as you say, be a part of this next chapter in the long book of triathlon that you’ve featured in?

AB: As I’ve said, you know, I’m a big believer in Project T100. It’s fantastic and I’m honoured that I’ve been part of this first year. I guess it was important to me. Obviously timing was very important. If it happened next year or the year after, I probably wouldn’t have been part of it. If it happened five years before, I would have been part of five years of it. So, yeah, I think I can just say it’s great that I have the opportunity to see how it works, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes over the next five years.

What’s next?

AB: Well, firstly, a good rest and some holidays. That’s definitely what’s next.  I’ve been planning for this day for a long time. I’ve always had a pathological fear of having nothing to do and I didn’t want to wake up the morning after my last race, which is today, I guess. And I’ve nothing to do apart from go to the pub and, you know, that would be a disaster.

So I’ve got all kinds of things and projects that I’m really looking forward, excited to do and stay active, stay involved in sport. I’ve got a list of events that I wanted to do, whether that’s more gravel racing, ultrarunning, endurance bike packing races, mountain bike stuff, anything that’s kind of challenging. Maybe some of the extreme triathlons, more challenge and completion things. So staying fit to do that, and I’m looking forward to that very much. Stay involved in triathlon. I really enjoy the work I do with the IOC and trying to guide sports into a new area and I think that’s an important thing to do.

More with the charity. And then, yeah, a bunch of bits of business interests. We’ve got a couple of companies hopefully that are going to be launching over the next few months and various bits of work. Yeah, sounds a lot, but hopefully it’s not that much. I still want to stay very active and enjoy a slightly slower pace of life.

Can you comment on this next generation of triathlete coming through. The Marten’s [Van Riel], the Jelle Geen’s,  Kyle Smith’s, Taylor Knibb’s.

AB: I think obviously it’s a fantastic generation of triathletes coming through at the moment. I think one of the things that we’ve seen in long distance that’s new in this generation is that athletes are coming through and solely focusing on long distance from a young age or converting early to do long distance after a career in the shorter format of the sport. And that’s obviously raising the level and with the T100 getting more significant over the next generation. I think that is just going to accelerate. And so, yeah, we’re going to see more competitive racing.

Is there anything you’ll miss about being a pro athlete?

AB: There’ll be lots of things I miss about being a professional athlete. Yeah, maybe I don’t have time to list them all. So what would I miss the most?  There is nothing better, actually, than enjoying the strict process of training going well over weeks and months. Just knowing that your days are simple. You’ve got to do whatever when you wake up. You know what three sessions are doing that day. Your structure is simple. You’ve got to get through the next 3 or 4 days and then have an easy day. You don’t have any worries about that. Your life is very straightforward and focussed and maybe it’s just me, but I think that kind of simple approach of having a very singular focus is actually a really nice way to exist.  So I’ll very much miss that. I’ll obviously miss being very fit, although I’m going to stay fit to the various other challenges as I set out. Yeah, I’ll miss the racing and that feeling of crossing finishing lines when you’ve had a good race, and just knowing that all the work that’s gone into that has it has paid off. Incredible levels of reward and, yeah, I probably going to keep doing that. I’ll miss the people although I imagine I’m probably going to still ride my bike and run with most of them that I’ve rode and ridden with for the last 20 odd years. So that’s probably not one to mention.

What’s some of the stuff you won’t miss about being a professional triathlete?

AB: I’ll start with an easy one. I don’t think I’ll miss swimming very much. Yeah, that’s an easy one. I won’t miss the injuries, but the kind of…the frustration of injuries going into a race. I mean, that’s some of the difficult, the most difficult things I’ve ever coped with is the kind of sense of I put all this training in…the not knowing. Some big ones of those. It’s probably the other thing I won’t miss. I won’t miss…I’ll still be very active, but maybe some of those, you know, long hard rides when the weather’s really bad I can curtail those a little bit. So I won’t miss being wet and cold, although I’ve got a feeling I’m going to keep doing that.

What would your family… I assume they know…What would they say?

AB: My family are incredibly supportive. Yeah. Even Jonny texted me yesterday after the race saying ‘there’s life in those old legs yet or something’. So, yeah, most people have said something along the lines of… Are you sure you’re alright about it? And I’ve been, yeah, I’m 100% sure. I’m really happy with the decision and very much looking forward to doing other things.

AB: It is a massive honour that other athletes look up to you. And, yeah, I genuinely think it’s… I’m very proud that whatever impact I’ve had on the sport of triathlon in terms of motivating and inspiring other people to be involved, that’s really special. And I’m very happy, you know, I’ve tried to do what I can helping other athletes out and kind of coaching and giving advice to people, you know, just because of my love and passion for it. So, yeah, I think I’m really looking forward to seeing where triathlon goes, you know, especially with the T100 over the next few years.

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of T100 races during 2024 that are competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and features the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October) and then the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November). There have also been racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at five stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Double Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee Calls Time On Professional Triathlon Career appeared first on PTO.

The 38-year old defied the race favourites and broke the course record to win his third title in just six years – the longest gap between victories. Not bad for someone who had previously described himself as ‘the guy next door who wins world titles’.

Lange beat off competition for the monthly award from: 

• Taylor Knibb – who made it 3 wins from 3 in the T100 series with a flawless performance at Lake Las Vegas.
• Jelle Geens – on debut in the T100 and had his breakthrough long distance performance to defeat the previously undefeated Marten Van Riel.
• Julie Derron – who backed up her second in Tokyo and second in Ibiza with a second in Lake Las Vegas and is now making a name for herself as one of the best middle distance athletes in the world. 

The German memorably said in the post race interview after his Kona win: “I always said that my best day was yet to come and nobody believed in me but this was the day, it was the absolutely perfect day. This is for my Mum.”

Explaining why he dedicated the victory to his late mother, he revealed: “When I was running along Ali’i Drive, about 5km into the run, it really struck me. I got goosebumps all over my body, even if I was really hot. And that was the moment where I definitely felt her.”

“She died in 2020 from cancer. And when I was with her in the hospice, when I had my last talk to her, she said, I really wish you to be on that top step. I really want you to kick butts one more time. That was a big ‘why’. And I’m really proud that I did this for her.”

Lange had first talked in depth about the impact of his mother’s illness and passing in the PTO’s Beyond Human episode in April 2023, saying that: “I had found out she had cancer the night before a race in Vietnam. It was a beating. What I was doing meant so much to her. I didn’t want to publicly speak about why I was sucking at races.”

“As soon as you realise that you don’t have a lot of time you can spend with your mother any more, it changes things,” Patrick’s wife Julia had explained in the episode.

“The worst thing ever was to be in Frankfurt [later that year],” continued Lange.  “The biggest race with German media. In the clinic when I visited her, I was there when they were during the chemo.  So straight from that to the press conference where I had to say ‘I want to win the race’ and it didn’t make any sense to me. And the race result speaks for itself [came 11th].”

Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Tri-Mag.de, Triathlon Magazine & Triathlete make up the panel of triathlon media who voted on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist, awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. Votes were also counted from online triathlon fans who had their say via the T100 social handles. Patrick received the top vote from each of the five judges to receive 15 points. 

-ends-

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of T100 races during 2024 that are competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and features the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October) and then the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November). There have also been racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at five stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Patrick Lange Takes October’s PTO Athlete Of The Month appeared first on PTO.

ROTH, GER / LONDON, UK – The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) and TEAMCHALLENGE are delighted to announce that the iconic DATEV Challenge Roth, known as the ‘Home of Triathlon’, has been elevated to Platinum status for the PTO’s 2025 World Ranking System.

This prestigious recognition comes following a substantial increase in prize money for the top ten professional finishers at Roth, ensuring a significant boost for athletes competing in the world’s largest long-distance triathlon. The PTO and TEAMCHALLENGE have also signed a partnership agreement to collaborate on best practices and further grow triathlon’s popularity.

“TEAMCHALLENGE has been a market leader in endurance sport for decades and DATEV Challenge Roth is one of the most iconic events on the triathlon calendar,” said PTO CEO Sam Renouf. “So we are excited to see the race become recognised as a Platinum tier event in our World Rankings System as well as partner with them to elevate the sport more generally.”

115% more prize money for professional athletes in Roth

For the upcoming event, DATEV Challenge Roth will distribute a total of €160,000 in prize money, a 115% increase from last year’s €74,500 payout. This prize boost underscores the event’s commitment to supporting top athletes, as highlighted by Race Director Felix Walchshöfer:

“We are incredibly pleased to further support professional athletes at DATEV Challenge Roth. Its designation as a Platinum-level race, due to the increased prize money for the leading athletes, highlights its significance as one of the most prestigious races that features a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42,2km run. Special thanks to Sam and the entire PTO team for their collaboration to advance professional triathlon as our goal is always to cooperate for the benefit of our sport and our outstanding community.”

€30,000 each for the two winners of DATEV Challenge Roth

Starting in 2025, first-place finishers at DATEV Challenge Roth will receive €30,000, double the previous year’s amount. Second place will earn €20,000, representing a 150% increase, while third place will take home €10,000. Prize allocations for fourth and fifth place are €7,000 and €5,000, respectively.

As in past years, the event will keep the bonus for the world’s best time and continue to offer the ‘Sub9’ program for male athletes and ‘Sub10’ for female athletes, rewarding men who finish under nine hours and women who complete the 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, and 42.2 km run in under ten hours. These prize money increases, alongside DATEV Challenge Roth’s existing athlete contractual and bonus payments, elevates the event to Platinum status in the PTO World Rankings.

PTO Platinum Status Provides Rankings Benefits

With its Platinum designation, DATEV Challenge Roth now offers additional advantages for top finishers by directly contributing to their PTO World Rankings status, solidifying the event’s position among the most prestigious races alongside events like the Ironman World Championship and T100 Triathlon World Tour. The PTO updated its World Rankings System in February 2023 following work by a committee of professional athletes to make them more transparent, objective and reflective of athlete’s race performances over a season. Introducing a five-tier system for races – Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze – primarily based on prize money but also factoring in other criteria such as prestige, media exposure and broadcast coverage.

Enhanced Collaboration

In tandem with these advancements, the PTO and TEAMCHALLENGE are fostering greater collaboration between the organisations, with a shared goal to elevate the sport. This will include partnering together to leverage Challenge Roth’s market leading expo experience, enriching the involvement for athletes and fans alike. The team from DATEV Challenge Roth will support and consult the PTO with the design and setup of expo’s across the T100 Triathlon World Tour and triathlon fan’s can look forward to a `PTO Pro Athlete Zone’ at the Challenge expo in Roth next year.

The partnership will also extend to sharing operational best practice, cross promoting each other’s events, and leveraging the PTO’s award winning social media capabilities to promote DATEV Challenge Roth on the PTO channels to the global triathlete audience.

-ends-

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

Heiko Wörrlein E: heiko@challenge-roth.de

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of seven T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October) and the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November). There are also racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

About TEAMCHALLENGE and DATEV Challenge Roth

TEAMCHALLENGE is the organizer of the world’s biggest long-distance triathlon: DATEV Challenge Roth, which is 3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling and 42.2 km running through the triathlon district of Roth. Emotions and goose bumps are guaranteed, for example at the mythical swim start at the Main-Danube Canal, at the legendary Solar Hill or at the magical finish line party in the triathlon stadium.

The sports festival in the triathlon stronghold has been home to triathletes from all over the world since 1984. The Home of Triathlon last made history again in 2024, when Magnus Ditlev and Anne Haug pulverized the world best times that were only one year old.

DATEV Challenge Roth will take place again on July 6, 2025 and was sold out in 40 seconds.

The post DATEV Challenge Roth Elevated To Platinum Tier For Professional Triathletes Organisation World Rankings appeared first on PTO.

 The German’s duel with Britain’s Kat Matthews and then blistering second half of a 2:44:59 marathon to pull clear, secured her victory in 8:45:15 and drew a clean sweep of the voting to beat off the other three short-listed athletes:

• Belgium’s Marten Van Riel, who won the Ibiza T100 to remain unbeaten over middle distance.

• Germany’s Mika Noodt, who collected the IM 70.3 Zell am See title at the start of the month before following it up with his best ever 100km performance, coming third in Ibiza.

• American Taylor Knibb, who was a dominant winner of Ibiza T100 women’s race and is now ‘two from two’ in the T100 series this year, with a chance to make it a hat-trick of wins on home soil at the Lake Las Vegas T100 next weekend (Saturday 19 October)

Reflecting in Ibiza, where she delighted age groupers by getting involved in the open water swims on the Friday night of the T100 weekend there and then cheering on the pros and amateurs over the weekend, she said:

“I’m feeling good, but I definitely feel it in the body. But I’m grateful to be here and swim in this beautiful ocean. It was so cool to meet so many people in Ibiza, cheer on the athletes and celebrate my own victory here on this beautiful island.”

“I’ll be back in training soon, because Las Vegas is just around the corner and I’m looking forward to race the last two T100 races in Las Vegas and then Dubai.”

Laura will be in action at next weekend’s Lake Las Vegas T100 and then the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November) as she looks to build on a third position in San Francisco and a fourth in London, to move her up the T100 series leaderboard from her current position of ninth.

Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Tri-Mag.de, Triathlon Magazine & Triathlete make up the panel of triathlon media who voted on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist, awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. Votes were also counted from online triathlon fans who had their say via the T100 social handles. Laura received 15 points with Marten securing 9 points to take second place.

-ends-

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of T100 races during 2024 that are competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and features the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October) and then the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November). There have also been racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at five stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Laura Philipp Wins PTO Athlete Of The Month For September appeared first on PTO.

Following the announcement in August 2023 to collaborate on a new Official World Championship Tour of Long Distance Triathlon and then the launch of the T100 Triathlon World Tour in January 2024, World Triathlon and the PTO have taken their work together a step further by expanding their commercial relationship to grow the sport longer term.

The initial partnership term is for 12 years, running through to 2036, and will include: the sole and exclusive Official World Championship Tour of Long Distance Triathlon, Anti-doping, Safeguarding and collaboration on rights management, including sponsorship and broadcast. It also includes a framework for both parties to explore new opportunities to grow the sport together, including hosting shorter-distance events alongside the T100 Tour.

Speaking about the new announcement, the World Triathlon president and IOC member Marisol Casado (pictured above at the launch of the T100 Triathlon World Tour in January 2024) said:

“Having seen three amazing Olympic Triathlon races in Paris, and just before the Championship Finals in Torremolinos and the T100 Finals in Dubai, we believe that it is both ours and PTO’s responsibility to double down on the good work that we’ve already started and use the great exposure our sport enjoys at the moment as a catalyst to grow deeper engagement with the sport’s committed fan. We also want to find a way to promote our sport to the broader sports fan. We believe we’re already starting to answer part of that question through our partnership with the PTO around the new T100 Triathlon World Tour and want to ensure we provide it with the right support and solid foundation to go from strength to strength. We will see in the near future athletes moving from the World Triathlon Championship Series to the T100 Tour, and we see more and more fans engaging with both worlds and enjoying the shorter or longer distances events alike. This brings excellent opportunities to all of us. And we want to continue embracing this cooperation and take it to further levels.”

Responding on behalf of the PTO, CEO Sam Renouf (also pictured above) said:

“We have had a very productive relationship with World Triathlon since our first event, including hosting the World Long Distance Championships alongside the Collins Cup in 2021. In working closely through the formation and then launch of the new T100 Triathlon World Tour – quickly becoming the pinnacle of long distance racing – one of the by-products has been the discussion and identification of other opportunities where we can grow the sport. By forming a 12-year partnership, both sides have the opportunity to invest together in the longer-term development of the sport.”

PTO Athlete Board member David McNamee added:

“From an athlete perspective, the introduction of the new T100 Triathlon World Tour has been a significant step forward in giving longer distance triathlon the global platform and profile we think it deserves. But along that journey, it has also highlighted other things we could explore, in order to continue taking our sport forward and to grow and engage more fans and audiences around the world. It’s an exciting time to be a professional triathlete.”

This announcement follows the two organisations introducing new anti-doping measures earlier this year.

After five T100 rounds so far this year, in Miami, Singapore, San Francisco, London and Ibiza, Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle leads the women’s T100 standings, ahead of Great Britain’s India Lee and Lucy Charles-Barclay; whilst Denmark’s Magnus Ditlev leads the men’s series from New Zealand’s Kyle Smith. The next race is the Lake Las Vegas T100 on 19-20 October.

-ends-

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

Olalla Cernuda E: olalla.cernuda@triathlon.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of seven T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October) and Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November). There are also racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

About World Triathlon

World Triathlon is the international governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon, cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the programme at Tokyo 2020, while para triathlon was first added to the Paralympic programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the sport to be extraordinary.

The post Professional Triathletes Organisation And World Triathlon Announce 12-Year Strategic Partnership To Grow The Sport appeared first on PTO.

After focusing on short course and the Paris Olympics during the first half of this year, the Norwegian star had said before the race in Frankfurt that he would “be patient and pace himself wisely’’. However, he ended up blitzing a more than 80-strong professional men’s field and running the third fastest marathon in history, in a scarcely believable 2:32:29. His overall winning time being 7:27:21.

That performance helped him finish on top of the Athlete of the Month voting, with 14 out of the 15 points available. To beat the other three short-listed athletes:

• Germany’s Caroline Pohle – who led from gun to tape to become 70.3 European Champion in Tallinn. Her second win of the season and best result of her career so far.
• Greece’s Panagiotis Bitados – who’s gone from unranked in June to 45th in the World Rankings after taking the 70.3 European Championship win in Tallinn, making it three wins from three races this season; and
• France’s Charlene Clavel – who swapped handball for triathlon in 2019 and took home the win at the World Triathlon Long Distance Championships in Townsville.

Talking about his win on The Norwegian Method Podcast, Blummenfelt said:

“It’s been nice to come back to long distance racing and I appreciate this award. I went with very limited preparation. When I was standing on the start line I was thinking I’m going to race as hard as I can until the wheels come off. I was prepared to survive for only three or four hours. But I was quite surprised how I was able to hold it together until the second half of the bike. Then, when I started running I felt quite good and bouncy in the stride, so that was a good experience.”

Despite feeling ‘quite good’ at the start of the run, Blummenfelt’s marathon was not without incident as he stopped off for a 25-second toilet break [he timed it, of course].

“I slept well before the race but I hadn’t done the timezone adjustments. Then I woke up at 3am and took the bus to transition at around 4am. I wasn’t able to follow my morning routine before the race. So I still had ‘unfinished business’ during the run,” he explained candidly.

Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Tri-Mag.de, Triathlon Magazine & Triathlete make up the panel of triathlon media who voted on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist, awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. Votes were also counted from online triathlon fans who had their say via the T100 social handles. Kristian received 14 points with Caroline Pohle securing 10 points to claim second spot.

-ends-

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that are competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the World Championship Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Kristian Blummenfelt Wins August PTO Athlete Of The Month appeared first on PTO.

After signing up just days before the race, Haug conquered the course in 8:02:38 – breaking the full distance world record by six minutes. Not only a history-maker for a long distance triathlon by a woman, Challenge Roth results show that Haug also ran a quicker marathon than the professional men who finished 2nd and 3rd place. Her run was just four minutes slower than the men’s race champion and 2024 course record-breaker Magnus Ditlev of Denmark.

On winning the PTO Athlete of the Month for July, the German World #4 responded:

“It’s a real honour, which I’m super proud of; considering all the amazing performances we’ve seen the whole year. It’s just great to witness the development of our sport and have the opportunity to be part of it for almost 19 years now.”

Looking back on her record breaking efforts, Haug said:

“It still feels a bit unreal, to be honest. If I could have dreamed of a perfect race scenario, it would have gone exactly like this. I was in the front pack of the swim and straight away leading on the bike. That gives you the freedom to set your own pace and take a bit of control of what happens. And if someone ever raced Roth knows how much the crowds can make you fly on the run. Especially if it’s your home race. I always believed that it’s possible to run under 2:40hrs on the marathon, but not after this illness-ridden roller-coaster year.”

Two weeks later, Haug was in London tackling her first T100 of the series.

“It was crazy being back in London – a real flashback,” said the PTO World #4. “I raced the Olympics there 12 years ago and so I know how sport crazy the whole city is and how interested they are in triathlon. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite have enough in the tank to challenge for the podium [she finished 11th], but it was a great race and I’m already looking forward to the next T100 race in Ibiza at the end of September where I have great memories having won last year.”

Talking more generally about the T100 World Tour, Anne said:

“This series means a lot to the sport of triathlon. It’s the perfect mixture of short course and long course and I love the speed. It’s also nice to have more races where you constantly compete with the best in the world. It allows you to improve yourself as an athlete – you have to face the best possible competition to get the best out of yourself and to have it more often in the year benefits everyone. It’s just been a shame I wasn’t able to race much in the first half of the season.”

“I also think the approach of having so many different races, where everyone has the chance to show what they’re capable of, will take the sport forward. Some athletes struggle in the heat, some are good in cold conditions, flat courses, hilly courses. But if you want to win the series, you have to be good in all conditions – and that makes it exciting.”

Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Tri-Mag.de, Triathlon Magazine & Triathlete made up the panel of triathlon media who voted on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist, awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. Votes were also counted from online triathlon fans who had their say via the T100 social handles.

Magnus Ditlev, who also won Roth, and London T100 winners Australian Ashleigh Gentle and Frenchman Sam Laidlow made up the short-list this month, but it was Haug who picked up 3 points from all of the judges bar one, to secure July’s vote.

The T100 will make its next stop in Ibiza on the 28-29 September, where pro men and women will take to the White Island to battle it out for the fifth time in the new series.

-ends-

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Anne Haug Wins PTO July Athlete of the Month appeared first on PTO.

Pulling off a show-stopping 72 hours in Quebec from 21-23 June, superstar Findlay, current PTO world #5, won the Canadian Time Trial Championship, then just days later, stormed to victory at Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant. 

After a turbulent week in the run up to race day; 1 lost bike, 2.5 days of phone calls to track down said bike and countless offerings from fans as bike replacement, Paula wrote on Instagram in the wake of her TT triumph: “proud that I was able to switch from chaos into race mode and let my body do what it knows how to do. I felt great and held my best power ever over the distance.”  

Two days later, it was a matter of battling the natural elements. Extreme weather meant the swim at Mont-Tremblant was reduced to 1.2km as a safety precaution. But with weather worsening, the swim was later cancelled for age group competitors. Paula carried out a fast bike and run to take the win by nearly four minutes. 

Writing on her socials the following day she stated: 

“You don’t know unless you try, eh. Very proud to pull off the double race weekend here in Quebec. The conditions were absolutely awful yesterday and scary at times, but I loved the course and I loved being here in Mont Tremblant. It’s actually my first 70.3 win on Canadian soil!” 

A panel of triathlon media including Triathlon Magazine, Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Tri-Mag.de & Triathlete voted on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist – awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. Triathlon fans also voted via the T100 social handles. 

Listed among three other ultra competitive contenders, Findlay came out on top against San Francisco T100 women’s winner Taylor Knibb and the two PTO contracted men involved in “triathlon’s greatest race”, New Zealander Kyle Smith and Belgian Marten Van Riel. 

With only one point in it, judges’ marks were close. Findlay with 11 points was narrowly followed by Taylor Knibb, with Marten Van Riel in third. 

Reacting to her win she said:

“Wow, it’s really nice to be recognised, thank you to the PTO and to everyone who voted for me! There were many great performances by different athletes this month so I’m honoured to even be nominated. Racing the TT and Mt Tremblant double was ambitious, but a fun challenge that I was able to pull off hugely thanks to the support around me.”

Recently withdrawing from next stop, London T100, Paula posted, “After 6 races this year, I feel like I need a break… There are still 6 races to go between September and December that I want to be healthy, motivated and fast for.”

The next T100 race will be in London on 27-28 July where seven British women lead by T100 series leader Lucy Charles-Barclay and two British men – Double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee and Scotland’s David McNamee – will be hoping to win their home race. For details of how to watch and start times around the globe visit: London T100 details. 

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Findlay Lands June PTO Athlete of the Month after Epic Dual-Sport Weekend appeared first on PTO.

Dr. Baldwin, a seasoned family medicine physician and long-standing triathlete, is described by PTO’s Chief Events Officer, Patrick Byerly, as “a perfect fit” for the role. 

Dr. Baldwin brings extensive experience from his medical career in the US Navy, where he trained as a physician and served at the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington, D.C. In this role, he acted as a spokesman and advocate for Navy Medicine and assisted the U.S. Surgeon General with the Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future program. Dr. Baldwin also advocated for the Let’s Move Campaign, led by former First Lady Michelle Obama. As an accomplished triathlete, Dr. Baldwin has been selected five times for the All-Navy triathlon squad and has qualified and competed in the Ironman World Championships in Kona five times.

“The care of our athletes is paramount,” said Patrick Byerly. “We are thrilled that Andy has decided to join us. His international health experience and deep knowledge of triathlon make him an ideal fit. He brings considerable dynamism and expertise from a career that has seen him work globally. Andy is already on board and was instrumental as part of the PTO team delivering the San Francisco T100 races earlier this month.” 

In his new role, Dr. Baldwin will oversee the coordination and implementation of PTO’s Medical Team programs, ensuring uniformity in the execution of the PTO’s medical plan and continuity of care and service across all events. He will also collaborate closely with World Triathlon to align PTO’s policies, procedures, and protocols with those of the global triathlon community. 

“In the military, you learn to be a leader in addition to a physician,” said Dr. Baldwin. “I am excited to lead the medical team at the PTO, helping to establish and build the new T100 Triathlon World Tour at the pinnacle of the sport. The PTO’s work with professional athletes as co-owners of the business and its mission to elevate long-distance triathlon to mainstream status is inspiring. I witnessed this firsthand in San Francisco, where we had some incredible racing set against an iconic backdrop.” 

As a dedicated sportsman, Dr. Baldwin is a strong advocate for promoting health and fitness. He has been featured in Men’s Health Magazine, Runner’s World, and GQ Magazine, and has been recognised for his humanitarian work with the Competitor Magazine’s ‘Humanitarian of the Year’ award. 

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org 

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Professional Triathletes Organisation Appoints Dr Andy Baldwin as Medical Director appeared first on PTO.

The Big Unit is the first American male triathlete to make it #1 in the PTO World Rankings since they were formally introduced in 2019 and is visibly on the crest of a wave in the sport right now. He is also the first athlete – male or female – to have been voted PTO Athlete of the Month twice, having picked up the accolade in January this year. This time he beat off strong competition from Brits India Lee and Emma Pallant-Browne and Kiwi Kyle Smith. 

Talking about his rise to the top of the Rankings on the eve of this Saturday’s third T100 Triathlon World Tour race in San Francisco, Sam said: 

“It honestly feels really good. It has long been my dream to be the absolute best in the world at something. While there are different metrics, such as being a World Champion, over the years the PTO World Ranking has gained a lot of validity. It points very strongly to having the best rolling 365 days of any triathlete in the world. It’s a dream come true.” 

Looking back at his commanding win in St. George, which earned him a month-high 92.85 points score and saw him finish over 7 minutes clear of the field – enough time to pause mid-run to kiss his partner on the cheek – he said: 

“St. George was a fun time. I was totally in my element and racing for fun and with the family watching me there. I was able to enjoy the entire run with such a comfortable lead. It was one of those days where everything came easily and I honoured my abilities, my team, and everyone who supports me with a big win.”

Thinking ahead to this weekend’s challenge in California at the San Francisco T100 and what it would take for him to make it onto the top step after second places at the first two T100 races of the season in Miami and Singapore, Sam forecast: 

“I just have to keep focusing on my own process. I have the winning formula within me and have gotten close. I’ve continued to fine-tune things since the last two second-place finishes. It’s a matter of when, not if, and while I would love for it to happen this weekend. If not, I will keep focusing on my own mastery of the craft… especially the swim,” he added with a wry smile.

A panel of triathlon media that includes Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de vote on their 1, 2, 3 from a four-athlete shortlist – awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3 – with triathlon fans also voting via the T100 social handles. Sam received 11 points, with Emma 9 points and Kyle 7. 

The broadcast for the San Francisco T100 will begin at 0545 PST in the US, with the men starting at 0600 and the women at 0645. For details of how to watch and start times around the globe visit: https://t100triathlon.com/san-francisco/pro/ 

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Sam Long Voted PTO Athlete Of Month For May appeared first on PTO.

The new measures include the following and have been active since 7 May, 2024:

• One global Registered Testing Pool (RTP) covering a range of athletes competing at different triathlon distances. Those athletes contracted to the T100 Triathlon World Tour who were not already in an RTP have been added to it.
• Inclusion of T100 wildcard athletes in the RTP once they have competed in three or more T100 races during a calendar year, regardless of their PTO ranking.
• Coordination by the ITA, on behalf of World Triathlon, with all National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) and the overseeing of all in-competition testing at T100
• All PTO members will be included in a full anti-doping Education program, delivered by World Triathlon, including topics such as RTP procedure and ‘whereabouts’. Whereabouts information will give the ITA the intelligence to locate athletes without notice, which is vital to an effective testing process.

These anti-doping measures underpin everything in the partnership between World Triathlon and the PTO and cement the T100 Triathlon World Tour as ‘the official World Championship Tour of long distance triathlon’.

Speaking about the announcement, the World Triathlon president and IOC member Marisol Casado said:

“Since the partnership was announced last August, our focus for World Triathlon and PTO has been on implementing comprehensive and effective strategies to uphold the integrity of our sport. One of the key initiatives driving this progress is the establishment of a unified, global Registered Testing Pool for all triathlon athletes, no matter the type of race they compete at. While this process has required time and careful consideration, it is a strategic move towards greater efficiency and transparency. By centralising an RTP we aim to streamline information sharing, enhance data analysis capabilities, and bolster our collective efforts to detect and deter doping. This unified approach also lays the foundation for developing biological passports, ensuring a sustainable framework for anti-doping intelligence progression, and we are also committed to providing comprehensive anti-doping education for all triathletes.”

“All the athletes are frequently transitioning between different distances within the sport, and it is key for all of us to prevent overlap and duplication within the RTP. And we are not only talking about the PTO, we would love all other triathlon organisers and organisations, to join us in this vital endeavour, fostering a collaborative approach to anti-doping efforts.”

“For World Triathlon, the fight against doping has been key and we have invested close to $30 million dollars since our inception which is a large percentage compared to our annual revenues. This commitment underscores our unwavering dedication to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and fairness across the sport.”

PTO CEO Sam Renouf said:

“Protecting the integrity of our sport is paramount to the purpose of the PTO and our members, which is why we’ve been continuing to work hard together with our partners World Triathlon and other stakeholders in the sport on anti-doping measures. Such measures include a global Registered Testing Pool (RTP) covering the contracted and wildcard athletes competing in the T100 Triathlon World Tour. But also, importantly, points the way to a broader, global solution for the sport around anti-doping.”

“Our members have never had the breadth and depth of race opportunities and prize funds that are now available, so it makes complete sense for us all to demand more in this area to ensure the integrity of the races we are putting on and the validity of what our fans are watching.”

PTO Athlete Board member and contracted T100 athlete David McNamee added:

“Athletes do not have a choice whether they are covered by an RTP or not, but they will always be the ones in the spotlight when there is any conversation or speculation about anti-doping. It is therefore vitally important we know that all is being done – as well as being seen to be done – to ensure that we are competing on a level playing field. So we welcome today’s announcement and will follow its progress with interest. Creating one, global RTP irrespective of the distances you are racing has got to be a positive step forward.”

The next races on the T100 Triathlon World Tour are in San Francisco on Saturday 8 June. The contracted T100 men and women on the start lists can be found here. The wildcards for both races will be announced at the end of the week.

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Notes to Editors:

• The International Testing Agency (ITA) is an international organisation constituted as a not-for-profit foundation, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Its mission is to manage anti-doping programs, independent from sporting or political powers, for International Federations (IFs), Major Event Organisers (MEOs) and all other anti-doping organisations requesting support.

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

Olalla Cernuda E: olalla.cernuda@triathlon.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

About World Triathlon

World Triathlon is the international governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon, cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the programme at Tokyo 2020, while para triathlon was first added to the Paralympic programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the sport to be extraordinary.

The post World Triathlon And PTO Announce New Anti-Doping Measures For Long Distance Triathlon appeared first on PTO.

The arrangement seeks to redefine the way professionals, fans and amateur athletes engage with endurance sports, offering tokenized rankings, dynamic incentives, gamification, content and rewards across digital and ‘in real life’ starting with the newly announced T100 Triathlon World Tour, which began in Miami on 9 March and will continue in Singapore this weekend, before heading to San Francisco, London, Ibiza, Las Vegas, and Dubai.

With a shared vision of enhancing the triathlon and endurance sports community, the PTO and SPORTPASS will leverage on-chain data and Web3 technology to introduce a level of digital ownership and engagement that can span lifetime engagement with the sport. Utilising a unique tokenized athlete ranking system, T100 participants will receive accolades and rewards, driving motivation and recognition within the community.

“We are excited to collaborate with Animoca Brands’ subsidiary SPORTPASS to introduce this innovative platform that will transform the landscape of triathlon and endurance sports,” said Sam Renouf, CEO of the Professional Triathletes Organisation. “In combination with our T100 Triathlon World Tour, which represents the pinnacle of long-distance triathlon, we’re elevating professional triathlon on the global sporting stage with cutting-edge technology that will disrupt how sports engage with both athletes and fans.”

Jordan Fogarty, CEO of SPORTPASS, said: “We are thrilled with this opportunity to reimagine how technology can power participation and sporting engagement, from both a professional and amateur lens. We have a unique vision for the impact that working with PTO can have across endurance sports and their fan experiences.”

In addition to enhancing fan engagement, the new experience platform will also offer ticketing services to allow fans to access exclusive events and competitions. Through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions, SPORTPASS and the PTO will work to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of triathlon and endurance sports worldwide.

The new platform will be rolled out during the initial season of the T100 Triathlon World Tour and will be available initially to professional athletes before later being scaled up to amateur athletes and fans.

-ends-

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It will be a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The broadcast will show the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters. For more information, visit https://protriathletes.org.

About SPORTPASS

SPORTPASS, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is a next-generation fan engagement and gaming platform designed to empower sports properties in delivering gaming, rewards, and competition experiences to their fans. For more information, visit http://sportpass.co.

The post PTO And Animoca Brands’ Subsidiary SPORTSPASS Collaborate To Transform Fandom For Endurance Sports appeared first on PTO.

Smith has now won 3 of his last 4 races, which has helped secure him a wildcard start at next week’s Singapore T100 (13-14 April) and a chance to test himself against the very best in the world.

The flying Kiwi beat off hot competition in February from Chelsea Sodaro – also a winner down under at the Ironman 70.3 Tasmania; Australia’s Nick Thompson, who won the men’s 70.3 Tasmania race in just his second season of long course racing; and Holland’s Els Visser, who also romped to victory at Challenge Wanaka, beating the field by over 8 minutes.

A panel of triathlon media that includes Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de vote on their 1,2,3 from a four-athlete shortlist – awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3 – with triathlon fans also voting via the T100 social handles. Smith polled 11 points, Sodaro 10, Thompson 5 and Visser 4.

Describing his Challenge Wanaka success as his ‘best performance ever’, Kyle also used the win to set out his ambitions for the rest of the season.

“It all came together in Wanaka, to deliver a career best performance,” he explained.  “I was so happy to be able to do this on one of the most beautiful and brutal race courses I’ve ever raced on.  It’s been a great summer of training here in New Zealand and I can’t wait to take this new found form back overseas for the rest of 2024, starting in Singapore.” Speaking in his post race debrief video, he finished with a message to his supporters: “I feel like I’ve got the wind in my sails now so come along for the ride.”

Sitting down with podcaster and T100 commentator Jack Kelly the day after her win in Miami, March’s PTO Athlete of the Month, India Lee, talked about how she ‘didn’t think I couldn’t win it, but wasn’t expecting to win’ at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. And looking ahead to the Singapore T100 on 13-14 April, she said that the Miami win had: ‘given me a lot of confidence and means I’ll be dreaming of more success but that doesn’t mean I’ll achieve it.’ Now we know how good she is in the heat, there will be many who are backing the Brit for another podium finish on the hot and humid Marina Bay course, which will host its second PTO professional race weekend, that also includes a 100km for experienced amateurs around the same course as well as two duathlons and a 5km music run.

India was a clear winner for March, picking up 15 points, with Dane Magnus Ditlev second on 9 points and Sam Long third on 6 points – having come first and second in the men’s Miami T100. With Aussie Ellie Salthouse fourth after her victory in the Ironman 70.3 Geelong.

For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It will be a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The broadcast will show the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Kyle Smith And India Lee Win PTO Athlete Of The Month For February And March appeared first on PTO.

But on hearing he had been voted for the award, Sam was immediately setting out his stall for the season ahead and the upcoming T100 Triathlon World Tour.

Asked whether January’s success was a good omen for this year, Sam replied in typically upbeat fashion: “Up next is Athlete of the Year .”

With the Athlete of the Month shortlist reduced from six to four athletes for this year, January’s quartet included Hannah Berry, Jack Moody, Sam and Marta Sanchez. A panel of triathlon media that includes Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de then pick their 1,2,3 from the shortlist – awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. With triathlon fans also voting via PTO social handles. Sam picked up 14 points to place first ahead of Berry and Sanchez in second and third respectively.

Talking about his victory in Pucon by over 6 minutes, PTO World #9 said:

“Pucon was a great time. I used the race as a motivator to keep me pushing over the holidays, where the tendency is to fall off. I was most pleased with a well rounded race and a great run on a very hard course. I changed several things in my training program and it showed me that these were positive changes.”

Looking ahead to the new T100 Triathlon World Tour and the first T100 race at CLASH Miami Endurance, Sam continued:

“The T100 Tour is super exciting. It’s our usual PTO 100km races, however the series adds in a demand of durability and consistency that I have shown great strengths in. I believe in myself and my team to persevere all season. Miami and the Homestead-Miami Speedway is the perfect starting point; I know this course well, have won there in the past, and just have to keep the momentum going. Yo Yo Yo!”

The PTO Athlete of the Month is an accolade that was introduced for the first time in 2023 by the Professional Triathletes Organisation to celebrate its members across the year and recognises a female or male PTO athlete each month based on: outstanding race performances, significant movement up the PTO World Rankings and/or challenges overcome.

-ends-

For Further Information

 Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, which is seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and will feature a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head on a consistent basis in iconic locations around the world. The broadcast will follow the 2023 PTO Tour approach which showed races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

The post Sam Long Wins January PTO Athlete of The Month appeared first on PTO.

London, UK: The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has acquired the iconic Challenge London triathlon from Challenge Family, to include on its rapidly expanding 2024 global tour.

The marquee race, which has a 20-year heritage and at its height attracted 14,000+ participants, making it the world’s biggest triathlon, features a closed road course taking place entirely within central London. Starting and finishing at the ExCel London Exhibition Centre, the swim is in the sheltered Royal Victoria Dock; there’s a multi-lap bike course from Docklands to Westminster and back – taking in some of London’s most memorable sights including Big Ben and the London Eye; and it finishes with a multi-lap run around the Docklands.

In addition to the existing schedule of races already planned for the weekend of 27-28 July, 2024, the PTO will add its made-for-TV 100km triathlon races that will see the world’s top 20 female and top 20 male professionals going head-to-head around the capital, broadcast live around the world.

Both sides shared their satisfaction with the deal, which comes on the eve of the PTO announcing their 2024 PTO Tour calendar in London tomorrow.

“We’re very proud of the work the Challenge Family has done over the last year in building up this London race post the Covid pandemic, with the addition of the Challenge middle distance race,” said Challenge Family CEO Jort Vlam. “We know how much racing in such a world-renowned location adds to the profile of triathlon. So, in the best interests of the sport, it makes sense to collaborate with the PTO who we trust will provide the event with a chance to reach millions of people through mainstream media, serving our sport across the globe. That’s why we are happy to handover the keys of the city for the next chapter in this iconic event’s history.”

On 6 August, 2023, Challenge London saw thrilling wins for leading pro triathletes Sam Laidlow (FRA) and Fenella Langridge (GBR) as well as 6,000+ amateur participants competing in a Middle Distance event (1.9km swim, 80km bike, 21.1km swim), an Olympic Distance (1.5km run, 40km bike, 10km run), Olympic Distance Relay, Sprint Distance (720m swim, 20km bike, 5km run), Sprint Relay and a Super Sprint (400m swim, 10km bike, 2.5km run).

Speaking on behalf of the PTO, its CEO Sam Renouf commented:

“Our ambition to hold spectacular PTO Tour races in the centre of iconic cities around the world is something we’ve been very clear about – and this race in central London fits that criteria perfectly, which is why we’re delighted to be announcing its acquisition and the plan for the race to be part of the 2024 PTO Tour. Since the PTO’s inception we have had a close partnership with Challenge Family, with shared ideals and ambition to grow the sport. Its history tells us this is a world class event and it’s very much our ambition to continue the good work Challenge started and return it to that status as one of the largest in the world.”

PTO World #13, Sam Laidlow, also added his support by saying:

“It was a fabulous event to race in last year. The course, the crowds and the organisation were all top class, so I think the PTO Tour will be right at home here and be able to take it to the next level.”

The French star, who was born in the UK and is now the reigning Ironman World Champion, completed the central London course in 3 hours, 29 minutes and 31 seconds.

The middle distance race later this year will feature the 100km distance for both pros and amateurs as well as the full schedule of shoulder events, including: Olympic Distance, Olympic Distance Relay, Sprint Distance, Sprint Relay and a Super Sprint. All those currently signed up will be able to race as planned, or upgrade to the new 100km to get the full PTO Tour experience.

PTO World #4 and the reigning Ironman World Champion, Britain’s Lucy Charles-Barclay, said:

“I am super excited to hear the PTO Tour will be coming to my home city. I live in London and the race takes place only a stone’s throw from where we live and train. I have raced multiple times there before and it’s a great venue for triathlon.”

The PTO has already confirmed that the PTO Tour will return to Singapore on 12-14 April and Ibiza on 28-29 September, 2024, as well as visit Lake Las Vegas on 19-20 October, 2024, and that the full season schedule and competing athletes will be announced on Tuesday 30 January, 2024.  It is also delivering on its goal of bringing long-distance triathlon to a broader audience, achieving a global dedicated TV and streaming audience of 24.6 million for its three races in Ibiza, Milwaukee and Singapore last year.

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For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. The PTO has already confirmed that the 2024 PTO Tour will go back to Singapore on 12-14 April and Ibiza on 28-29 September, 2024, as well as visit Lake Las Vegas for the first time on 19-20 October, 2024, and that full eight-stop schedule will be announced on Tuesday 30 January, 2024. Each PTO Tour race covers 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run).

Challenge Family

Victoria Murray-Orr E: victoria@challenge-family.com

 About Challenge Family

 Challenge Family features over 30 long and middle distance triathlons around the globe. With spectacular courses in iconic destinations, no Challenge Family race is like any other. Focusing on delivering the race of a lifetime to athletes of all ages and abilities, Challenge Family races provide unforgettable experiences that capture all the excitement and emotions of this inspirational sport for competitors, friends, family and supporters alike. #wearetriathlon #allabouttheathlete

The post PTO Announces London Event For The 2024 PTO Tour appeared first on PTO.

Taking place around the picturesque Lake Las Vegas on the grounds of Reflection Bay Golf Club and The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa, this will be the PTO Tour’s exciting debut in ‘the entertainment capital of the world’.

An action packed weekend will include the PTO’s new 100km (2km swim; 80km bike; 18km run) race distance featuring the world’s top 20 female and male professionals and an equivalent 100km [62 miles] triathlon for amateur participants around the same course.

Welcoming the news, PTO CEO Sam Renouf said:

“It is very exciting to be announcing that the PTO Tour will be making its Lake Las Vegas debut later this year around the stunning surroundings of Henderson, Nevada. This is just the kind of iconic location the PTO Tour aspires to visit, so it’s a positive endorsement of our strategy and the journey that we’re on, although we’ve got a long way to go.”

“A huge thank you must go to Mayor Romero of Henderson for sharing our vision for bringing world class triathlon to the city and helping to navigate all the different and often complex approvals. Thanks also to Cody Winterton of Raintree, who will be working with the PTO to put on the event, and Greg Gooding, the General Manager of The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa, who’ll be hosting us in their impressive resort and grounds. We can’t wait to get started on the next stage of preparations.”

Speaking on behalf of Henderson, Mayor Michelle Romero responded by saying:

“Henderson has become a premier sports destination, and we are thrilled to welcome the Professional Triathletes Organization and top-ranked triathletes from around the world to our city. Reflection Bay Golf Club and The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa will provide a beautiful backdrop as the host location for this international event, one of only eight in the world this year. We welcome these professional and amateur athletes and their families to discover all the wonderful amenities that Lake Las Vegas and all of Henderson have to offer.”

Commenting on behalf of Raintree Investment Corporation, the developer of Lake Las Vegas and the investment group who will be working with the PTO to deliver the weekend of racing and events, its Division President Cody Winterton said:

“Lake Las Vegas is known for its outdoor fitness opportunities, so hosting the world’s most prolific triathletes for this event was a natural partnership. From swimming the lake and running the golf course trails, to biking throughout the community and surrounding Henderson locations, we are honored to be a part of this marquee event.”

Leading US triathletes were quick to share their enthusiasm. 2022 Ironman World Champion and current PTO World #11 Chelsea Sodaro said: “The Lake Las Vegas event is a huge addition to the 2024 PTO Tour schedule. Racing in the USA is always extra special for me so this will be a weekend that I am circling on my calendar.”

American favorite and PTO World #9 Sam Long  added: “I’ve already said that I’m looking forward to a lot of things in 2024, including the PTO Tour and getting married. So to have this kind of a race only a stone’s throw from where I’m based and train in Tucson will be awesome. I plan on preparing to win because that will make my post race bachelor party that much more epic! Yo Yo Yo!”

Amateurs and everyday athletes interested in taking part in the 100km triathlon can head to the PTO website to register their interest from today. With places expected to be very popular when they go on sale in February, registering ahead of time is advised. All amateurs who sign up to the race will also have the exclusive opportunity to stay with the pros in the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa and book in for 2 nights at one of Nevada’s finest resorts. These places are open to participants of all abilities, giving regular triathlon and fitness enthusiasts the unique opportunity to challenge themselves on the same course as the world’s best professionals, and then the opportunity to watch the pros race in a festival atmosphere once they have finished.

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For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). In 2023, the calendar consisted of the PTO European Open on 6 May and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. With the season underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.  The PTO has already confirmed that the PTO Tour will go back to Singapore on 13-14 April and Ibiza on 28-29 September, 2024, and that the full 2024 PTO Tour will be announced shortly.

About Reflection Bay

Reflection Bay Golf Club is located in the luxurious high end resort residential community of Lake Las Vegas. Created in 1998, Reflection Bay Golf Club is designated as a prestigious Jack Nicklaus Signature Design course, the only such course located in the state of Nevada. Reflection Bay has hosted the Wendy’s 3 Tour Challenge PGA event several times and has been the recipient of some of the most sought after awards by industry magazines including Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. For more information or to schedule a tee time, visit https://www.reflectionbaygolf.com/.

About Lake Las Vegas

Lake Las Vegas is a 3,600-acre resort community surrounded by its own 320-acre lake and is located a short drive from the famed Las Vegas Strip. Residents and guests enjoy the award-winning Reflection Bay Golf Club, Lake Las Vegas Sports Club, restaurants, resorts and year-round community events. To learn more about Lake Las Vegas, visit www.lakelasvegas.com.

About The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa

The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa rests on a bluff overlooking Lake Las Vegas, offering 493 guestrooms/suites, over 100,000 sf of indoor/outdoor event spaces, a pool complex offering 2 pools, cabanas, water slide, pool grille, sports court (basketball, tennis, putting green), private beach with kayaks and paddleboards and a sock offering electric boats, and g Aveda Spa & Salon.  The Resort is further complimented with culinary offerings from Marssa Steak & Sushi, Rick’s Café, Marrakesh Express, Arabesque Lounge and In-Room Dinning.  Our partnership with Reflection Bay Golf Club and South Shore Country Club rounds out all the resort amenities.  With the location just 30-minutes from the Las Vegas Airport, the Strip, and Downtown communities, everything is at your fingertips.

The post 2024 PTO Tour Heads For Fabulous Lake Las Vegas appeared first on PTO.

London, UK: The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) today confirmed the final placings for the 2023 PTO World Rankings, with German superstar Anne Haug and Norwegian trailblazer Kristian Blummenfelt both finishing top for the second year in a row.

The Top Tens were:

The leading athletes share out an end of season bonus pool of $2,000,000 USD split equally between women and men, with a $100,000 going to the top ranked athletes.

“Finishing the season on the PTO top spot again makes me more than proud. Especially after the slightly changed points system, where you need to perform now at every distance,” said Haug, who’s three counting scores in 2023 including the PTO European Open (99 points), Ironman Hawaii (97.88 pts) and the PTO Asian Open (96.62 pts).

“It has been a really great year for me. Especially the win in Ibiza, which was a kind of a milestone in my career, because it had one of the greatest women’s fields in the history of the sport. I absolutely love the fast racing against the best in the world and can’t wait for the new PTO series to start.“

Blummenfelt led the way in the men’s rankings for a second year after a busy schedule that at one point saw him embark on a whirlwind trip of three races across two continents in ten days during August 2023. He competed in the Olympic test event in Paris on 18 August, followed by the PTO Asian Open in Singapore two days later before jetting back to Europe for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Finland on 27 August.

His three counting scores included all three PTO Tour races: the PTO Asian Open (99.38 pts), the PTO European Open (95.89 pts) and the PTO US Open (95.53 pts).

Commenting on his success, Kristian said:

“Finishing top of the PTO World Rankings again is something I’m very proud of. Every time I take to the start line, I race to win. It’s who I am as an athlete.”

“I want to race the best athletes and that is exactly what it’s like in a PTO Tour race, so it’s no coincidence my three scoring results came in those races.”

The PTO World Rankings were introduced in 2017 to identify and rank the world’s best professional triathletes who participate in non-drafting triathlon events. Any athlete who holds a professional license and is a PTO Professional member is eligible. For 2023, the PTO introduced a new, updated version of the PTO World Rankings System (PTO WRS) to make the rankings more transparent, objective and reflective of professional triathletes’ race performances over the season.

This hard work had been spearheaded by a committee of professional athletes that included: Ruth Astle (GBR), Antony Costes (FRA), Renee Kiley (AUS), Jackson Laundry (CAN) and Danielle Lewis (USA). The new PTO WRS incorporated:

1. 1. A tiering system for races
   2. Rewarding race positions directly
   3. Consideration of the strength of field at each event; and
   4. Ensuring exceptional performances are rewarded based on finishing times compared to other athletes in the same race.

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For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). In 2023, the calendar consisted of the PTO European Open on 6 May and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. With the season underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.  The PTO has already confirmed that the PTO Tour will go back to Singapore on 12-14 April and Ibiza on 28-29 September, 2024, and that further stages of the Tour will be announced soon.

The post Haug and Blummenfelt Top 2023 PTO World Rankings appeared first on PTO.

The six-athlete shortlist for December included strong performances from Daniel, Fenella Langridge, Solveig Løveseth, Kat Matthews, Kyle Smith and Marten van Riel.

With a panel of triathlon media picking their 1,2,3 from the shortlist – awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3 – and then fans also voting via the PTO social handles, the points were added up to determine the winner. This month Daniel collected 12 points, beating off van Riel who finished second with 8 points and Langridge third on 5.  The media panel includes: Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de.

Speaking about his wins, the PTO World #11 said:

“The two race wins obviously gave me a huge confidence boost and now winning the PTO Athlete of the Month also gives me a huge amount of encouragement going into the 2024 season. All in all, it’s just a nice way to have the holidays off with the family and enjoy some downtown. Because I know that next year will be extremely busy with a packed calendar where I will only have World Championship caliber races all year round.”

Giving reflections on his victory in Western Australia, Daniel said:

“It was definitely one of the most learning-ful experiences I’ve had. Not only in Ironman races but races in general. One thing is how things went at the race – a well executed all round race. But it was more the way I went into the race. Well prepared, but not overcooked, like I’ve done before. Having good people around me and learning how to perform well without necessarily being in top shape.”

He was also a big fan of his first trip down under:

“Traveling to Australia, I’ve never been there before and that contributed to the trip. It helped me to enjoy the crowds there, the people and all the places I went. As an experience it was perfect and that’s definitely one of things I’m going to focus more on in the future. Enjoying where I am, enjoying the experiences. Not only the results and races, but life around them as well.”

Looking ahead to the coming season, he said:

“Right now I’m on Lanzarote, one of the big Canary Islands, prepping for the 2024 season. My goal is pretty obvious, it’s the PTO Tour. It’s a no-brainer and it’s going to be absolutely epic. By the sound of it, it’s the future in races and I can’t wait for it to start.”

“Then, obviously, Kona is a big one for me. Qualifying in Western Australia and getting the slot early was key for me, so I could focus on the PTO calendar in the season. It’s basically a season of World Championship caliber races we’re going to have next season and that’s definitely going to help the sport grow, get more fans and to build the profiles of the athletes and so on.”

“With my coach we looked at last season, what went well and what we could do better. And we’ve turned things a bit around for this season as it’s a different set of skills I’m going to need. So I’m just extremely motivated to get going and hopefully do well.”

The PTO Athlete of the Month is a new accolade introduced for the first time this season by the Professional Triathletes Organisation to celebrate its members across the year and recognises a female or male PTO athlete each month based on: outstanding race performances, significant movement up the PTO World Rankings and/or challenges overcome.

-ends-

For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). In 2023, the calendar consisted of the PTO European Open on 6 May and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. With the season underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.  The PTO has already confirmed that the PTO Tour will go back to Singapore on 12-14 April and Ibiza on 28-29 September, 2024, and that further stages of the Tour will be announced soon.

The post Daniel Baekkegard Wins December PTO Athlete of the Month appeared first on PTO.

London, UK: The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has advised that its full 2024 PTO Tour calendar will be revealed in the new year, having already announced that it will return to Singapore (12-14 April) and Ibiza (28-29 September) respectively.

PTO CEO Sam Renouf reiterated his belief that creating a season-long schedule and narrative, with consistent racing from the highest-ranked athletes throughout the year, is essential to take the sport to the next level and grow into the mainstream. He also pointed to a combination of reasons the 2024 calendar would be unveiled early in the new year, including final governmental approvals from prospective host cities.

“We have been working hard to double our calendar from three events to at least six races in 2024, as we strongly believe that is the way to create a cohesive, season-long narrative about the PTO Tour that will ultimately take the sport to a broader global audience and build a fanbase that drives more money into the sport.”

“We are in the final stages of planning with new host locations, however, as several are requiring further government approvals before being publicly announced, we felt it was important to let people know that we won’t be announcing our full calendar of Professional and Age Group races until early in the new year. This is a more complex process for the PTO versus most stakeholders in the sport as we mandate to all our host partners that we must have entirely separate racing for Professionals and Age Groupers, which we believe is essential both for athlete safety and to create a compelling broadcast product to grow the sport.”

“While it’s admittedly taken us a little longer to announce the stages than we expected, we are hugely excited about how things are shaping up and believe it will be worth the wait. Each of the stops of the 2024 Tour will be at iconic locations that provide a backdrop worthy of the highest level of the sport.”

In just its second season, the 2023 PTO Tour is delivering on its goal of bringing long-distance triathlon to a broader audience, including a global dedicated TV and streaming audience of 24.6 million for its three races in Ibiza, Milwaukee and Singapore through multiple top-tier broadcast partnerships that saw it broadcast in 195+ territories around the world.

Its social channels also continue to make impressive headway, with the PTO owning the largest ‘share of voice’ on Facebook versus Ironman, World Triathlon and Super League Triathlon and are now second only to Ironman on Instagram. As the PTO’s social follower audience has grown – to above 300,000 at the last count – so has its engagement, which bucks the usual trend amongst social channels as they scale.

Which all contributed to the successful signing of Canyon, Garmin, Ekoï, Pokka and Rouvy as commercial partners on the 2023 PTO Tour as well as FORM renewing their deal.

There is also growing belief amongst the leading athletes who co-own the organisation. On a recent CNBC episode of The Score, which examines sport through the lens of business, and was aired extensively across the channel in Europe and Asia over the weekend of 2-3 December, the PTO World #2 Ashleigh Gentle said:

“The PTO Tour is unique in that we go to these wonderful destinations and we have these really great courses, multi laps, spectator friendly and it’s also broadcast around the world. So for us athletes, it’s awesome to be part of such a professional organisation who are trying to broadcast our sport to the world.”

“My sponsors love it because when they see us on screen, they see their logos, their bikes and shoes. It’s game changing and hasn’t happened before and creates massive opportunity for us athletes.”

When asked by CNBC presenter Sam Vadas what made the PTO Tour different, World #1 Kristian Blummenfelt responded:

“They bring the best athletes together every time, not just once. And what they are doing with the sport marketing-wise, they are creating more hype around the events with the atmosphere…and bringing the sport to another professional level.”

“It makes it more possible to be a professional…by getting more money into the sport. It’s not easy to travel around the world without having the sponsors and for the sponsors to be able to pay you they need to be able to get marketing value, so to have races like this where you can really be showcased is important for the whole sport to grow.”

Also speaking on the CNBC programme, Roy Teo, Chief of Industry Development, Technology and Innovation at Sport Singapore, the government agency that brought the PTO to the Lion City in August this year, said:

“We wanted to create a more vibrant calendar of sports events in the country…and the PTO Tour fits into that. They allow a lot of different experienced amateurs to participate in the events, they also bring in the top pro athletes that really inspires people to come and watch – and the format is really exciting. Swimming in Marina Bay is really, really unique.”

PTO Executive Chairman Chris Kermode sums up the PTO mindset going into 2024:

“I remain extremely positive about our direction of travel and the job the team has done to get things to where they are. We knew at the start of the year that we needed a plan to go bigger in 2024, which is what we’ll announce in the new year. But it takes time and, frankly, there’s usually a good reason why someone’s not done something before – because it isn’t easy.”

“Is it ideal that we still can’t publicly share our full calendar yet for next year? ‘No’. Will we be announcing an exciting line-up of races for 2024 early in the new year? ‘Yes’.  2024 is set to be an incredible year for Professional Triathlon and we’re excited to be working with our athletes and partners to make that happen.”

-ends-

For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). In 2023, the calendar consisted of the PTO European Open on 6 May and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. With the season underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.  The PTO has already confirmed that the PTO Tour will go back to Singapore on 13-14 April and Ibiza on 28-29 September, 2024, and that further stages of the Tour will be announced in the new year.

The post PTO Celebrates Record Year, Prepares For Bigger 2024 appeared first on PTO.

The PTO European Open weekend in Ibiza on 28-29 September, 2024, will also host the Spanish Middle Distance Cup for Elite and Age Group categories, the Spanish Triathlon Federation (FETRI) and the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has confirmed.

The Spanish Middle Distance Cup will take place on Sunday 29 September over the PTO’s new 100km distance, which consists of a 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run. There will be a prize fund of more than €15,000 for the top individual finishers as well as for the best represented clubs.

This announcement means Ibiza will play host to the highest ranked PTO professionals and best Spanish triathletes, battling it out for the PTO European Open 2024 and domestic Spanish national titles respectively.   

The Spanish Middle Distance Cup will award a significant prize money to the leading athletes, both for the Elite as individuals and for the clubs.

In the Elite, both in the men’s and women’s categories, the winners will be awarded a sum of 2,500 €, followed by 1,500 € for the runners-up, 1,000 € for the third-placed athletes, and 500 € for the fourth and fifth-placed athletes (12,000 € in total).

Elite Prize Fund

 1st 2.500 € (Men and Women)

2nd 1.500 € (Men and Women)

3rd 1.000 € (Men and Women)

4th 500 € (Men and Women)

5th 500 € (Men and Women)

The clubs that manage to get on the podium will also have their financial reward for both men and women, with 3000 € for the first placed, 1800 € for the second and 1200 € for the third (12.000 € in total).

Club Prize Fund 

1st 3.000 € (Men and Women)

2nd 1.800 € (Men and Women)

3rd 1.200 € (Men and Women) 

There will also be prizes for the three clubs who compete in the Spanish Middle Distance Cup with the most registered athletes. There will be 2,000 € for the club with the most finishers, 1,500 € for the second and 1,000 € for the third (4,500 € in total).

All of the Age Group athletes who manage to finish their race on the podium will also receive a Spanish Middle Distance Cup medal.

Registration opening

Registration for the Age Groupers wanting to compete in the Spanish Middle Distance Cup will open this Thursday, 14 December.  Participants can complete their registration on the official website of the Spanish Triathlon Federation here and on the usual channels of FETRI and its social networks. 

Meanwhile, registrations for Elite athletes will be available from 10 January, 2024.

-ends- 

For further information:

Daniel Márquez – + 34 (0) 650 646 102; daniel.marquez@triatlon.org

About FETRI 

The Spanish Triathlon Federation is responsible for promoting the sport of triathlon and paratriathlon in the country. Throughout more than 30 years, it has achieved multiple successes for Spanish sport, including nine World Championships, a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games and more than 30 victories in the World Series, amongst others. https://www.triatlon.org 

The post PTO European Open To Host Spanish Middle Distance Cup appeared first on PTO.

London, 7 November: Rudy von Berg’s course record breaking win at Ironman Florida helped him secure November’s PTO Athlete of the Month, edging out Hayden Wilde and Skye Moench in a hard fought month of professional racing. 

The six-athlete shortlist for November had included strong performances from Leon Chevalier, Paula Findlay, Skye Moench, Els Visser, Rudy and Hayden Wilde. With a panel of triathlon media picking their 1,2,3 from the shortlist – awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3 – and then fans also voting via the PTO social handles, the points are added up to determine the winner. This month Rudy collected 9.5 points, Hayden 9 and Skye 8.5.  The media panel includes: Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de.  

Reacting to the news of his November win, the new PTO World #7 said:

“I finally got it. I was nominated for April after my win in Texas and I didn’t get it. So it’s a nice bonus to get. A little bit of extra media, a little bit of extra attention and hopefully I’ll get it more next year on multiple months. That would be ideal.”

Giving his reflections on his impressive win in Florida, Rudy explained: 

“I mean Florida was really everything I was aiming for in the last race of the season. I really hit a bunch of goals. I guess one was qualifying for Kona, because that’s part of my plan to do the PTO Tour next year and not have to do too many Ironman’s. So I hit that one. Then, obviously, just get a race win and race bonuses, prize money and all that good stuff – and then climbing the PTO Rankings in order to do the PTO Tour…and perhaps get a better contract. And then I also made £30 or £40k more in the end of the year bonus because I got in the top 10.”

Setting out his plan for 2024 he said: 

“I’m really on plan for next year having already qualified for Kona. So I hope there’s a good calendar of PTO races next year that I can focus on and then add a Roth and a Kona and it’d be the perfect race calendar.”

“I have no doubt in my mind that if I’m on my game I can be on the podium for a 100K race. If you look at the first main PTO event we ever had in Daytona in 2020, I was in the mix all day – first off the bike, finished fifth and that was one of the highest level races of the last few years. And I was right there in the mix and I’m improving. Ok, I’ve done a little more long-distance, but it’s really only been a year and a half and if you look at Florida, my 20 minute power was 352 watts in a full [Ironman]. So if you add a little for a 100K, I’m up there on the watts and on the run paces. I’ve done a bunch of threshold workouts so I know I’m there. I just need to work a little on the VO2 max on the upper end.”

“For me, the key is not to race too much, to have good prep periods, and when that happens I’m really on my game and I’ve shown it this year. When I start messing up…a little last year because I changed the coach and then I had that stomach parasite that made me lose weight…and two three weeks of training…and then I was racing too quickly after that so I never really was able to get into top shape. But if I plan everything well and, fingers crossed, for the first year in three or almost four seasons nothing happens, then it will be good.”

2018-19 was Rudy’s breakthrough season and then 2020 was Covid affected with almost no racing. 2021 he suffered a nasty attack of mononucleosis, which really ‘messed me up’. 2022 he had the stomach parasite and this year he broke his collarbone in June. But with an off season anchored in Boulder and incorporating a trip back to France at Christmas, and a visit to one of his sponsors Ekoï who’s HQ is only 40 minutes from his home, and then a training camp in Maui, von Berg is already raring to go for next season.

“So I’m hoping 2024 is the first year where I have a full season with no issue and I can just perform consistently all year,” he said. 

“I feel like I’ve just had a bit of bad luck every year but been able to bounce back pretty well nonetheless. I was actually talking with friends and they said there’s some kind of thing that’s linked to the moon or like an alignment of planets or whatever, but 27 to 30 year olds apparently get bad luck. I don’t know if this is a thing others have heard, but now I just turned 30 I’m hoping next year is the one.” 

The PTO Athlete of the Month is a new accolade introduced for the first time this season by the Professional Triathletes Organisation to celebrate its members across the year and recognises a female or male PTO athlete each month based on: outstanding race performances, significant movement up the PTO World Rankings and/or challenges overcome.

-ends-

For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). In 2023, the calendar consisted of the PTO European Open on 6 May and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. With the season underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.  The PTO has already confirmed that the PTO Tour will go back to Singapore on 13-14 April and Ibiza on 28-29 September, 2024, and that further stages of the Tour will be announced in the coming months.

The post Rudy Von Berg Is PTO Athlete Of The Month – November 2023 appeared first on PTO.

Singapore, 8 November: The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has confirmed the 2024 PTO Tour will return to Singapore on 12-14 April, 2024, staging 100km triathlon races for female and male professionals and experienced amateurs* as well as two duathlons.

Whilst PTO World #1’s Kristian Blummenfelt and Ashleigh Gentle claimed the pro titles in the Lion City in August this year, it was the overwhelming vote of confidence from the participants that has helped ensure a repeat of the swim, bike and run-packed weekend. With 92% saying they would recommend the triathlon and duathlons to friends; 85% scoring the experience as excellent or very good in the post-race surveys; and ‘atmosphere’ being voted the thing people most enjoyed*.

Places go on sale at 4pm Singapore time today here for the 100km experienced amateur triathlon and here standard (4.5km Run/32km Bike/4.5km Run) and longer distance (9km Run/64km Bike/9km Run) duathlons that will take place on the morning of Sunday 14 April, 2024. Demand is expected to be high.

Roy Teo, Chief of Industry Development, Technology & Innovation from Sport Singapore commented:

“We are always looking at opportunities to bring in a wider variety of sporting events to Singapore, especially those that are innovative. With swimming, cycling, and running being among the top five sports here, the PTO Tour naturally becomes an attractive addition to our sporting calendar. Having the best athletes competing at the event provides an exciting opportunity for the community to rally together and cheer them on. We also hope that these athletes can be an inspiration to future generations of local triathletes. Following the positive feedback from the amateur participants in the first year, we hope that PTO will continue to deliver an amazing experience for the athletes participating in the 2024 PTO Tour race.”

Singapore Tourism Board’s Executive Director for Sports & Wellness, Ong Ling Lee, added:

“We are excited to see Singapore on the 2024 PTO Tour and look forward to welcoming the world’s top triathletes and amateur participants back to our vibrant city next April. With Singapore’s iconic cityscape as the backdrop, the PTO Asian Open adds to our impressive calendar of unique experiences, offering participants an unforgettable opportunity to swim in the bay unlike anywhere else in the world.”

Speaking on behalf of the PTO, CEO Sam Renouf said:

“Singapore was a big weekend for the PTO because it represented exactly how we’re looking to take longer distance triathlon to a broader audience – through world class athletes going head-to-head in iconic locations and broadcast to a global audience. Add in the 6,000+ amateur athletes who took part in an equivalent 100km triathlon, two duathlons and a 5km music run and it created the kind of festival atmosphere that we aspire to and are working hard to take to more stops around the world next year.”

The spectacular swim will again take place in Marina Bay and whilst the exact bike and run course details won’t be confirmed until early in the new year, they are expected to be similar to this year when the bike featured a 16km circuit with awe-inspiring views of the city. Plus four laps of a 4.5km run on flat, paved surfaces that took competitors along the waterside, around the ArtScience Museum, through the Gardens by the Bay and then back towards the world famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Team Singapore athletes past and present also got involved and joined the 1,000 experienced amateurs for the 100km triathlon in five different relay teams – and after completing his swim leg with his colleagues, Calvin Sim (bike) and Jasmine Goh (run), Singaporean Olympic Champion Joseph Schooling, said:

“Overall, I had a lot of fun. Rounding the buoys was something different, I’m used to turning in the pool. Overall, I’m just happy to finish. I got a little nervous and excited a few days leading up to this. It was nice to be in a race atmosphere, in terms of nutrition and sleep time – that’s something I really missed. Going 20 times what I’m used to in terms of distance…it was out of my comfort zone and that was fun. Hopefully I get a chance to do it again next year and I’ll be better prepared.”

Experienced triathlete and Talking Triathlon podcast host, Tim Ford, was also amongst the amateurs who competed in the inaugural 100km event and didn’t hold back with his praise. Talking on his podcast after the event, he said:

“I raced the 100km Age Group race in the morning, which is basically the same course [as the pros] and to race in that event in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands in the centre of the city and the bike course was legitimately one of the best bike courses I’ve ever ridden on and I’ve done thirty-five 70.3s around world. It was phenomenal for me.”

The PTO’s return to Singapore in 2024 comes hot on the heels of announcing Ibiza as the home of the PTO European Open (28-29 September).  Further stages of the 2024 PTO Tour will be announced in the coming months.

-ends-

*Source: PTO post-race survey for 100km experienced amateur triathlon and standard and long duathlons on Sunday 20 August, 2023.

For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). In 2023, the calendar consisted of the PTO European Open on 6 May and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. With the season underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.

*About the Marina Bay Swim Qualification Standards 

Athletes must be competent swimmers to participate in this event. During registration you will be asked to confirm that you have completed at least three (3) open water swims. You must also submit proof that you have completed an open water swim of a distance of 1.5km or greater since 1 January 2024 at a pace of 2min30sec per 100m or faster (i.e. a time of 37min 30sec for 1500m or 47min 30 sec for 1900m).

This proof must be uploaded to your registration before 11.59pm SST (GMT +9) on Sunday 17 March, 2024. Valid proof includes finisher certificate or screenshot of a race result showing event date, athlete name, swim distance and swim time.

Athletes who do not have suitable proof will be able to join swim trials organised by MetaSport in Singapore. More information will follow on the PTO’s website. Please register your interest in the registration form.

Note: On race day, athletes must complete the first 200m of their swim within 5 minutes. Athletes who fail to do this will be removed from the swim course.

The post PTO Asian Open Confirmed To Return To Singapore In April 2024 appeared first on PTO.

Despite an arduous three-day journey back from Hawaii to the UK, Charles-Barclay took time out following her return to promote the amazing win – and the sport she loves – in triathlon as well as UK mainstream media, talking to The Times and The Mirror, speaking on ITV News and BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and making an appearance on Channel Four’s Sunday Brunch on Sunday alongside pop star Leona Lewis, former Top Gear host Richard Hammond, comedian Richard Herring, actress Lolita Chakrabarti and singer Roisin Murphy.

Speaking to Sunday Brunch hosts Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer, the new PTO World #4 said:

“It’s been a real journey, but it’s slowly starting to sink in now. I’ve come home and seen my friends and family and seen what it means to them as well which is amazing.”

“2017 was the first time I raced there [Kona] as a professional and I came second. So you naturally think, ‘I’m going to win this at some point’…but it’s taken me a long, long time. It was my fifth time racing there and I finally did it and got the win.”

Listening to Lucy’s achievements, Tim and Simon were quick to marvel at the dedication and training required to be a top professional triathlete and also having to spend much of her record breaking 8 hours 24 minutes 31 seconds on her own at the front of the race.

“I had a 90-second lead in Hawaii and then I never saw another person after that. We don’t have radio but we do get splits occasionally. So someone will come up and say ‘this is your gap to the girls behind’. I had people from my bike team with a white board telling me the gaps to the other girls. Generally if that gap’s getting bigger, it’s this massive positive boost. But if you see the gap coming down it’s about how you handle that. The shortest gap was the 90-seconds out of the swim. So I was having a really good day.”

They were also amazed that Lucy ran 25 miles of her marathon with severe calf pain.

“I broke my foot in May when I was doing a triathlon. We think it happened running into the swim when I actually hit a rock. I continued racing and ended up coming second at the end. But leading into this race I felt a bit of pain from the race and we managed it well. I’ve got an amazing physio who was doing his thing. But a mile into the marathon I felt pain in my calf really bad and I saw my husband out on the course about four miles in and I said: ‘it’s really bad’. He had a heart attack at that moment thinking she’s got a ten-minute lead but she’s not going to do it because she’s in pain. But I was like, ‘you know what, it’s going to be more painful to come second again’, so I thought ‘you’ve got to do this’.”

‘Are you up for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year, surely you must be?’ asked Tim Lovejoy after listening to Lucy’s account. ‘ You’ve got to be a shoe-in for that?’

“It would be amazing. Triathlon is quite a niche sport. Most people know it with the Olympic distance. My race in Kona was four times the distance of that. So to get people committed to watch me race for eight hours is quite hard. But that would be amazing if I did get nominated.”

Following her win, Lucy is at least being included in the odds.  Skybet now has her at 125/1, above England men’s team captain Harry Kane (150/1), with Lioness goalkeeper Mary Earps installed as the current favourite. But with an expert BBC Sport panel not picking their shortlist until December 2023, there is still time.

Taking Triathlon Mainstream

To get the casual sports fan more engaged in triathlon, which is arguably the ultimate endurance sport, Tim’s next question made a lot of sense: ‘Would you do the Olympic distance?’

“The Olympic distance was the dream for me. In swimming the Olympics was the goal. Now in triathlon there’s a new and really exciting triathlon series from the PTO, which is the Professional Triathletes Organisation. That race lasts for just about 3 hours and is the 100km distance. So it would be fun to watch and I think people could tune in for that long and it’s really exciting. They want to make it like the F1 of triathlons so that the top 40 athletes will race multiple times a year and they’ll be a World Champion crowned at the end of the year. So that will be my goal going forward.”

The boys also asked about her husband, Reece, assuming he must be a triathlete too and why she’d largely trained at home in Chingford, rather than in sunnier climes in the build up to the race.

“It’s a full time commitment doing this. My husband Reece used to race and now he’s a coach. I have another coach called Dan [Lorang] as well, but Reece is there every single day making sure the job gets done and it makes it a bit easier having him there supporting me.”

“I’ve been training abroad a lot. I generally based myself in Lanzarote and they have an amazing training complex there. But I’d been away from home so much, I just wanted the home comforts. I wanted to be with my dogs. I wanted to have my physio around. But it was tough.”

In response to also being asked whether training on a treadmill and indoor bike really replicates what you experience in the real world, Lucy said:

“That was slightly our concern. Although in Hawaii, although it has rolling hills, it’s generally straight out and back along a highway in between the lava fields and you turn around and come back. So actually the technical skills aren’t really required on the bike. You just need to be really strong and you can get that from indoor riding coz you’re never free-wheeling down a hill. And the treadmill is the same.  I’ve been injury prone over the years, so keeping me on the treadmill we knew the risk of getting injured was less and we could do a lot more mileage than I’d ever done before. And when we got to Hawaii, it had translated really well.”

‘Do you enjoy it’ was Simon’s final, very understandable question:

“Most of the time, yes,” said Lucy. “The training block leading into these championships was brutal.  I did it all at home, but I was on training camp at home, so I really wasn’t ‘at home’.”

The PTO Athlete of the Month is a new accolade introduced for the first time this season by the Professional Triathletes Organisation to celebrate its members across the year and recognises a female or male PTO athlete each month based on: outstanding race performances, significant movement up the PTO World Rankings and/or challenges overcome.

The six-athlete shortlist for October 2023 included (in alphabetical order) Josh Amberger, Lucy Charles-Barclay,  Anne Haug, Youri Keulen, Mathis Margirier and Imogen Simmonds, and was voted on by a panel of triathlon media as well as fans.  The media panel includes: Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de.  Each gives their 1, 2, 3 based on the shortlist and fans voted during Friday 27 October, 2023, across the PTO’s social channels. Three points are awarded for being voted #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. The points are then added up to determine the winner. Lucy collected 15 points, placing top in all the votes.

-ends-

For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). In 2023, the calendar consisted of the PTO European Open on 6 May and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. With the season underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.  The PTO has already confirmed that the PTO Tour will go back to Singapore on 13-14 April, 2024, and that further stages of the Tour will be announced in the coming months.

The post Lucy Charles-Barclay: October PTO Athlete Of The Month appeared first on PTO.

Vancouver, BC, October 26, 2023 – FORM, the fitness technology company pioneering real-time visual feedback to elevate athletic performance, today announces that under the current rules, World Triathlon has confirmed that FORM Smart Swim Goggles are allowed in all World Triathlon Competition formats after review from the World Triathlon Technical Committee. With this approval, FORM goggles are legal in World Triathlon, Super League Triathlon (SLT), Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO), USA Triathlon (USAT) and any World Triathlon-sanctioned races. Using the FORM goggles, professional and amateur athletes can use the in-goggle augmented reality (AR) display to access their real-time data to keep them on track at their targeted pace during competition.

“This is a monumental moment for FORM and the entire sport of triathlon. The race approval through the governing body of the sport is a turning point for the triathlete community. Athletes in these races can access their real-time performance metrics to pace themselves and push the sport further in the water, just as they do in cycling and running,” said Dan Eisenhardt, CEO of FORM. “Having leading private triathlon organizations and the governing body approve the use of the FORM Smart Swim Goggles in competition is a testament to our product and innovation in the sport.”

Swimming has been completely underserved by technology. Swimmers have traditionally needed to rely on a clock, flags, distance to a buoy, or a coach to judge their pace and/or distance or break their pace and look at a watch. Launched in 2019, FORM introduced the world to the first-ever smart swim goggles, reinventing how athletes train in the water and transforming the sport. Using FORM goggles’ AR display, swimmers have the unprecedented ability to see their performance metrics like pace per 100, distance, calories and stroke rate in real-time through its powerful in-goggle display technology.

In its promise to support triathletes, the FORM goggles offer extensive open-water capabilities.

In open water, the FORM goggles provide swimmers with performance metrics like time and stroke rate. When paired with compatible Garmin or Apple Watches, the FORM goggles can also display distance, pace and heart rate–which can all be seen in the swimmer’s line of sight.

In 2021, FORM launched Workouts, where FORM users can choose from over 1,500+ coach-designed workouts and be guided through an immersive training experience using the in-goggle display. Following the workout, the swimmer can access their data, providing additional insight into their training.

“Being able to wear FORM goggles in competitive races will help professional and amateur triathletes in a number of ways,” explains Brian Johns, Head of Coaching Science at FORM. “For a start, it will enable athletes to pace themselves and manage their effort, particularly at the start of their race in the water. Athletes can quickly assess how far they’ve swum and still have to go. It will also help with their real-time stroke rate and allow them to execute their race plan more precisely.”

“The approval catches swimming up to both running and cycling for the use of technology in competition. The other benefit is that athletes experience less anxiety in the water because they feel less alone.”

PTO, SLT and USAT Applaud Decision

“FORM is a great partner of the PTO and as an organisation co-owned by the professional triathletes we’ve always looked to incorporate new technology and innovation in order to take the sport forward,” said PTO CEO Sam Renouf. “We’re excited and supportive of the news and look forward to seeing the impact that it makes.”

“As soon as FORM launched, our athletes were quick to adopt the new technology. We’ve witnessed firsthand how effective the FORM goggles are for training, and now we can’t wait to see how they elevate the athletic performance of the athletes in competition,” said Michael D’hulst, CEO and Co-Founder of Super League Triathlon. “By making FORM goggles race-approved, SLT is making it known that we are on the forefront of innovation and our races are about to push the boundaries of what’s possible in triathlon.”

“USA Triathlon will always seek to work collaboratively with those who seek to bring innovation to Multisport,” said USA Triathlon Commissioner of Officials, Mark Turner. “We are happy to affirm and clarify that FORM goggles are legal for use in USAT-sanctioned races.”

Now, athletes competing in any World Triathlon, USAT, PTO, and SLT races have race approval for the use of FORM goggles. For more information on FORM, visit formswim.com.

About FORM

Founded in 2016 in Vancouver, Canada, FORM is the fitness technology company pioneering real-time visual feedback to elevate athletic performance. Launched in 2019, the FORM Smart Swim Goggles give swimmers an immersive swim experience by combining motivating workouts with real-time swim metrics, technique awareness and focused skill development via the innovative in-goggle display. FORM’s founder and CEO Dan Eisenhardt, swam competitively for 14 years before starting his career as a sports technology entrepreneur and sold his previous sports technology company to Intel.

Learn more at formswim.com.

Media Contact

Logan Findlay

Talk Shop Media

logan@talkshopmedia.com

604-440-8999

The post FORM Smart Goggles Technology Can Now Be Used In PTO Tour Races appeared first on PTO.

London, UK: Sam Laidlow’s standout win at the Ironman World Championships last month in Nice unsurprisingly secured him the votes to become September’s PTO Athlete of the Month.

Giving his reaction to the award win this morning and reflecting on becoming the youngest World Champion and first Frenchman to win the title, the twenty-four year old PTO World #5 said:

“Of course it’s a privilege given there’ll only be a certain number of winners in the year. So to be one of them is pretty cool. Three weeks on it’s been a bit mad, a bit busy, but good busy. It’s just the second part of the job, which is not being an athlete, and it’s meeting sponsors, maybe meeting new partners and the other side of success. But it’s all good and it’s just another skill set that the sport demands you to evolve.”

Asked how things might have changed for him since his breakthrough win a little over three weeks ago and whether he still had to pack his own bags, Sam said:

“Of course you do. You still have to pack the dishwasher and everything and actually one of the first things I said when I crossed the line was that one of my next goals was also to be a good partner, son and friend, and that’s all the time I’m catching up now because for many years I was quite selfish in what I wanted to do. One of the next challenges for me is to just be better on all fronts.”

But having achieved his ambition of being crowned a full distance World Champion, we’ll have to wait to hear what his new goals are following time spent in a room with pencil, paper and no mobile phone. Something he mentioned he was planning to do on the Triathlon Hour podcast immediately after his Nice success.

“I’ve got some pretty big goals, but I want to let my close team and my partners know first, before l announce what’s next. But let’s just say we’ve got some pretty hefty goals and I’ll be sticking around for some time.”

Also speaking about his 2023 season, which hadn’t necessarily signposted his win in the south of France for many, Sam reflected: 

“In hindsight, I definitely regret not going to Ibiza. It was tough because I had a really, really good winter. I felt like after Kona, I’d found this new gear, this new confidence that really brought me a new level in training and I was confident about the work I put in. So I went to Gran Canaria kind of not expecting too much because half Ironman is not where I excel at and I won the race. Although it wasn’t on paper a big race, the field was actually quite good when you see the results that some of the guys had later on.“

“I came back and was training well and then just had a rough time personally. So I made a decision to not go [to the PTO European Open in Ibiza]. Not even thinking at all about this whole Collin Chartier case. And then that also impacted me on top of that because people started saying that I wasn’t going to Ibiza for doping allegations or whatnot. And yeah, so I definitely regret that.”

“I then had to pull out of the second PTO race because I’d ripped my calf basically three weeks or a month before in Roth. And I could have done what some other athletes do and just pull out last minute, but I didn’t think it was fair for the people who get the roll downs, because then what ends up happening is they are scraping around trying to find an athlete. When actually the top 20 athletes need to know at least four weeks before that they’re gonna do the race. I said, listen, I won’t do the race and I’ll just have to take it on the chin. In the end, my calf healed up really nicely and I was doing some aero testing in the UK, so I raced the same weekend basically as PTO [US Open] because I was just in the UK and I wanted to test my calf out in a real world situation. So on paper, again, it looked like I was just avoiding these PTO races, but I wasn’t at all. I mean, I genuinely like to race the best and last year [2022] I showed that racing as much as possible on the PTO circuit. So then I was like, I’m going to catch this up. Initially, at the start of the season, I didn’t want to go to the PTO Asian Open in Singapore to focus on Nice and then I went to Singapore, got covid, stayed in my room for a few days and came back. So, a tough old season.”

But what he did see in Singapore was a fantastic city that he hopes to return to next year when the PTO stage its second Asian Open on 12-14 April, 2024: 

“I mean Singapore is definitely an amazing city. It’s weird seeing all the cars on the roads you’re going to race on and then the next day you’re just there racing around next to the Formula 1 track. We actually went out for a run on part of the Formula 1 track I remember…and I also didn’t realise there’s actually quite a big Asian community that follow triathlon and I think that’s only going to develop and grow bigger over the years.”

Finally, on motivation for what next, Sam said: 

“It never gets easier. We either go faster or there’s new challenges. It won’t get easier and I’m ready for that, but, equally, I think a lot of media have asked me this question about how I’m going to deal with the pressure now of being a favorite and I said to be honest I feel like the complete opposite. I feel like the amount of pressure has been taken off me now, because my goal was to win the World Championships and 99% of the pressure was coming from myself. It was a deal that I made with myself years back to win this race and now I’ve done it and I feel like I can literally enjoy the next part of my career, because I will always have this. For a little while I’ll definitely be the youngest [World Champion], and I’m the first French person and these things will never go away, So I definitely feel like I can just move forward and whatever comes next is a bonus, almost. And that’s not to say I’m just gonna just be a very average pro and just make my money and leave. I really want to dominate again but dominate in a better way. I just see it all as a bonus now and I’m going to enjoy the next ride.”

The PTO Athlete of the Month is a new accolade introduced for the first time this season by the Professional Triathletes Organisation to celebrate its members across the year and recognises a female or male PTO athlete each month based on: outstanding race performances, significant movement up the PTO World Rankings and/or challenges overcome.

The six-athlete shortlist for September 2023 included (in alphabetical order) Paul Findlay, Frederic Funk, Tamara Jewett, Sam Laidlow, Tomas Rodriquez and Michael Weiss and was voted on by a panel of triathlon media as well as fans.  The media panel includes: Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de  Each give their 1, 2, 3 based on the shortlist and fans voted during Thursday 28 September and Friday 29 September, 2023, across the PTO’s social channels. Three points are awarded for being voted #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. The points are then added up to determine the winner. Sam Laidlow collected 15 points, placing top in all the votes. 

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For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). The PTO European Open on 6 May kicked off the 2023 PTO Tour and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. The season has been underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.

The post Sam Laidlow: PTO Athlete Of The Month September 2023 appeared first on PTO.

In a stellar month of racing and performances, the American star confirmed her place at the top of the sport by beating off tough competition from a six-athlete shortlist that included:

• Jan Frodeno, who capped his last pro race in the US with a spectacular win at the PTO US Open in Milwaukee;
• Kristian Blummenfelt’s heroic 10-day global rampage, which saw him compete at the Olympic test event in Paris, claim victory in Singapore at the PTO Asian Open just a couple of days later and then put up a brave defence of his 70.3 World Championship crown in Finland despite ‘running out of energy’ as he put it; Rico Bogen’s first-ever World Championship crown;
• Ashleigh Gentle’s sublime performance to retake the PTO top step in Singapore’s women’s Asian Open; and
• Imogen Simmonds’ impressive performances in Singapore (4th) and Finland (3rd), which have propelled her into the PTO World top 10 for the first time.

Giving her reaction to winning the award yesterday, the PTO World #2 said:

“I’m honored and I heard that I won by a tiny point. So I’m grateful for that and it shows the depth of racing in August. That’s probably the biggest thing because you look at all the athletes nominated and in any other month anyone could win. August was a stacked month because you had two PTO Tour races and the 70.3 Worlds and the Paris Qualification race. So August was a huge month for triathlon.”

Reflecting on her win at the PTO US Open in Milwaukee, Taylor said:

“I was very grateful that Milwaukee was so close for me. That’s always a treat to race at home. I think it was very special that the PTO joined forces with USA Triathlon for the National Championships which was both youth, junior and [national] age-group.”

“The day before my race, I got to talk with my first triathlon coach and I was talking with some of the kids there and you don’t get to do that at a lot of races and that was special for me… it reminded me of where I’ve come from but also that everyone’s in the same boat and everyone gets nervous before a race. It’s very grounding.”

“I raced the youth and junior racing, Ben Kanute did too, so for those youth and junior athletes looking at the Olympics is one way that they could go…but also, hopefully, these PTO races will be here in 10, 15, 20 years time and maybe there’s someone there who is like ‘I want to race this’, ‘This is an option, this is an opportunity, I want to be there someday’. So those will be the fun stories in, say, 10 years time.”

Clearly a fan of the PTO’s partnership with USAT for this year’s PTO US Open, Taylor made an obvious comparison with her US Open race in Dallas last year and also spoke warmly about the opportunities on the expanding PTO Tour next year:

“Well, it [the 2024 PTO US Open] ended up better, but the race was just completely different and I think that’s the nice thing and that’s going to be the tough thing about the PTO Tour now that more and more races come, in that each race stands on its own. It’s not like if Ashley [Gentle] wins 5,000 of these she gets a head start.  Everyone starts at the same time regardless of your previous result.”

“I love these races. I was talking with my manager and Milwaukee is one of my favorite races of the year now because it’s a great atmosphere. It’s just fun – and I love the racing and the intensity and just everything about it.”

She also had some advice on the 2024 schedule:

“Last year we were told that there wouldn’t be any conflicts with the Olympic test schedule but the Asian Open was two days after the event which is the biggest short course race of the year. So, as long as there’s not a tour race like July 18th to August 5th 2024, we’re great and I’m excited.”

“If the PTO Tour in 2024 was heavily backcast [after the Olympic] it would be excellent for a lot of short course racers. Then you could have a combination of everyone. Especially because the women will race Nice in September and then it’s just this big block of the year that you could have fantastic racing.”

The PTO Athlete of the Month is a new accolade introduced for the first time this season by the Professional Triathletes Organisation to celebrate its members across the year and recognises a female or male PTO athlete each month based on: outstanding race performances, significant movement up the PTO World Rankings and/or challenges overcome.

The six-athlete shortlist for August 2023 was voted on by a panel of triathlon media as well as fans.  The media panel includes: Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de  Each give their 1, 2, 3 based on the shortlist and fans voted during Thursday 31 August and Friday 1 September, 2023, across the PTO’s social channels. Three points are awarded for being voted #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3. The points are then added up to determine the winner. Taylor Knibb collected 12 points, Rico Bogen 11 and Jan Frodeno 6.

-ends-

For Further Information

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). The PTO European Open on 6 May kicked off the 2023 PTO Tour and was followed by the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and then the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. The season has been underpinned by the new PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.

The post Unstoppable Knibb Picks Up August PTO Athlete Of The Month appeared first on PTO.