Aquabike to Debut at ITU Multisport World Championships in Penticton

For the first time ever, aquabike, a swim-bike multisport discipline, will be contested at the ITU World Championship level in August 2017 at the Penticton ITU Multisport World Championships. 

Adding aquabike to the festival lineup offers age-group athletes the opportunity to earn another world title at an ITU World Championship event in the picturesque city of Penticton from August 18-27, 2017. 

USA Triathlon has supported an aquabike division in its annual membership rankings since 2010, and held the first USA Triathlon Aquabike National Championships in 2012. American multisport athletes looking to qualify for the first-ever Aquabike Worlds must finish in the top 18 of their respective age groups at the 2016 USA Triathlon Aquabike Nationals this November. More details on Aquabike Nationals, which is scheduled for Nov. 13 in Miami, Florida, are available at usatriathlon.org.

"The multisport world continues to grow at an incredible rate," said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado. "Offering multisport races like aquabike promotes the growth of triathlon worldwide, as it makes the sport accessible to everyone of all ages and abilities no matter where they are."  

"We are thrilled to be adding Aquabike World Championships to the docket at ITU Multisport World Championships in Penticton next August. The addition of aquabike means the Multisport World Championships is truly complete, with five World Championship events," said race executive director Michael Brown.

Aquabike Worlds will be contested alongside world championship races for duathlon, aquathlon, cross triathlon, and long-distance triathlon in Pecticton. The aquabike race will see athletes swim 3 kilometers, followed by a 120-kilometer bike, mirroring the length of Long Distance Triathlon Worlds. The finish line will be right after the second transition, with athletes racking their bikes at a second transition, then sprinting to cross the finish line. 

The 10-day Multisport World Championship Festival is expected to see more than 7,000 age-groupers race in the heart of the city, with the epicenter being along the beachfront of Okanagan Lake and Okanagan Lake Park. The spectator-friendly courses will feature a variety of terrain and include some of the area's many vistas, wineries and landmarks, as well as the downtown area.

All participants and visitors will enjoy a full week of multisport action, as well as concerts, street dance, race expo, parade of nations, kids races and awards presentations.

For more information on ITU Multisport World Championship Festival, visit penticton2017.com.

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).