COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- For the second year, USA Triathlon has added Draft-Legal World Championships Qualifiers to its schedule of events, allowing top U.S. amateur multisport athletes the opportunity to qualify to represent their country at select 2017 ITU World Championship events.
Athletes may qualify for draft-legal events at ITU World Championships on Nov. 5-6 in New Orleans. (Karen Hunt/Florida Swim Network)
Age-group athletes in the U.S. interested in earning a spot on Team USA, USA Triathlon's amateur world championships team, may register now for the Triathlon Draft-Legal Qualifier and the Duathlon Draft-Legal Qualifier, which will be held on Nov. 5-6 in New Orleans. The Triathlon Draft-Legal Qualifier will be held on Nov. 5, and top-finishing athletes will earn a spot for the 2017 ITU Age Group Sprint Triathlon World Championships in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The Duathlon Draft-Legal Qualifier is scheduled for Nov. 6, and top athletes can punch their ticket to compete in the 2017 ITU Age Group Sprint Duathlon Worlds, set to take place Aug. 19 in Penticton, British Columbia, as part of the ITU Multisport Festival. Athletes may compete in both events if they so choose.
Click here to register for the Triathlon Draft-Legal Qualifier on Nov. 5. Click here to register for the Duathlon Draft-Legal Qualifier on Nov. 6.
The Draft-Legal World Championships Qualifiers, first held in 2015, are in line with the decision by ITU to change the sprint-distance age-group triathlon and duathlon world championship events to a draft-legal format. This format allows competitors to ride in a draft zone during the cycling portion of the races. Traditionally, these events have been non-drafting, requiring athletes to keep a set distance between them and their fellow competitors. To compete in these events, U.S. athletes must qualify for Team USA, comprised of the nation's top amateur multisport athletes who represent the U.S. at each ITU World Championships event. Visit usatriathlon.org/teamusa for more information on Team USA.
For both the triathlon and duathlon qualifiers, the top 10 finishers in each age group can secure spots on Team USA for the 2017 ITU World Championships in their respective disciplines, provided they finish within the set cut-off time for their individual age groups. Team USA qualification information is available online for both the triathlon and duathlon event at USATriathlon.org.
In addition to the Draft-Legal Worlds Qualifiers, athletes may also qualify for the new draft-legal world championship events at USA Triathlon National Championship events. The top eight finishers in each age group of the non-drafting sprint race at the USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championships on June 25 in Bend, Oregon, may qualify for Sprint Duathlon Worlds. Triathletes competing in the non-drafting USA Triathlon Sprint Nationals on Aug. 14 in Omaha, Nebraska, may qualify for Sprint Triathlon Worlds if they finish in the top eight. Additional information will be provided to top finishers at each of these events.
More information on draft-legal competition for age-group athletes is available at USATriathlon.org.
For questions on qualifying for Team USA, send an email to teamusa@usatriathlon.org.
| About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with nearly 500,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
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