USA Triathlon announced that the 2019 USA Triathlon Draft-Legal National Championships will take place in Tempe, Arizona, on Nov. 16. The race will be held alongside the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships as part of the Sun Devil Draft-Legal Classic hosted by Arizona State University.
Athletes will race on a multi-lap course centered at Tempe Town Lake, featuring a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike, and a 5-kilometer run. In the draft-legal format, competitors are encouraged to ride in packs and work together on the bike. Similar to what is contested in elite International Triathlon Union events and the Olympic Games, the format is growing in popularity at the age-group level.
Registration will open in the coming weeks at usatriathlon.org. The age-group race will begin at 7 a.m. MST, and the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships follow at 10:30 a.m. MST.
Tempe has a rich history of hosting national and international triathlon events. The USA Triathlon Collegiate Club National Championships were held there in 2013, 2014, and 2019, and will return next year. The city hosted the USA Paratriathlon National Championships in 2014, and the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships have been held there annually since 2017. In addition, Tempe has hosted multiple ITU Pan American Cup events and non-drafting triathlons including IRONMAN Arizona.
“USA Triathlon is proud to bring another championship event to Tempe Town Lake,” said Brian D’Amico, Director of Events at USA Triathlon. “We are grateful for the consistent support of Arizona State University and the city of Tempe, which has enabled us to create exceptional race atmospheres in Tempe year after year. As a bonus, hosting Draft-Legal Nationals in conjunction with the Women’s Collegiate National Championships will increase exposure and fan engagement for the women’s NCAA triathlon movement, while bringing together different subsets of the multisport community.”
“Our intent and mission from the very beginning of hosting the Women’s Collegiate National Championships was to deliver a top-notch event that we would grow to be able to host other major competitions as well, such as the USA Triathlon Draft-Legal National Championships,” said Cliff English, head coach of the women’s triathlon team at ASU. “ASU and the cities of Phoenix and Tempe have always been passionate about triathlon and growing the sport, and we feel with these events we are certainly doing so. Whether you are competing or just coming out to watch, this will be a great day of triathlon racing.”
“ASU looks forward to hosting another championship event of an Olympic sport, as we prepare to welcome hundreds of competitors, staff and volunteers for the Women’s Collegiate National Championships and USA Triathlon Draft-Legal National Championships here in Tempe,” said Ray Anderson, Vice President for University Athletics at ASU. “The weather and atmosphere on a Saturday in November make for an exciting event with some of the most disciplined athletes on and off the course, as we continue to support and promote the surging sport of triathlon.”
At Draft-Legal Nationals, athletes will compete not only for national titles in their age groups, but also for the chance to represent Team USA at the 2020 ITU Sprint Triathlon World Championships to be held in Edmonton, Canada, next August. For more information about qualifying for and representing USA Triathlon’s amateur Team USA, visit usatriathlon.org/teamusa.
The 2018 Draft-Legal National Championships were held in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida, and the course was adjusted from a triathlon to a duathlon (run-bike-run) due to water quality conditions. Colin Wilson (Coral Gables, Fla.) and Brooke Kessler (Harpers Ferry, W.V.) took home the men’s and women’s overall titles, respectively.
For complete details and course maps for the 2019 USA Triathlon Draft-Legal National Championships, visit the event homepage at 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 events and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors – as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation – 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 and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
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