USA Triathlon has announced a three-way partnership with USA Swimming and U.S. Masters Swimming to host open water swim races as part of two USA Triathlon-owned events this year, the inaugural Legacy Triathlon and the Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships.
The alliance was forged as a way for the organizations to collectively grow the sports of swimming and triathlon. The open water swim competitions will introduce single-sport swimmers to the multisport community, while offering a valuable racing option for triathletes who wish to hone their open water skills.
USA Triathlon, USA Swimming and U.S. Masters Swimming share many of the same members, making the partnership a natural fit. Athletes are not required to be members of any of the three organizations in order to compete in the open water swim events.
“Since the launch of the Time to Tri growth initiative last year, USA Triathlon has operated under the philosophy that a rising tide lifts all ships,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO. “This partnership is a perfect example of working with two peer organizations who share our goals as well as our values. Triathletes across the country have found community and camaraderie through USA Swimming and U.S. Masters Swimming programs. At the same time, we believe there is an opportunity we haven’t fully realized to reach aspiring triathletes from the swimming community.”
The organizations will also collaborate on marketing and promotional efforts, while encouraging participation across their respective membership bases.
“Swimming is a lifelong sport, and finding ways for our membership to experience it in new ways, develop new skills and have fun is definitely a winning proposition,” said Joel Shinofield, Managing Director of Sport Development at USA Swimming. “Partnering with like-minded organizations such as USA Triathlon and U.S. Masters to continue to engage the membership and to get more athletes in the water is important to our respective long-term successes.”
“We’re excited for the opportunity to partner with USA Triathlon and USA Swimming on these events,” said Dawson Hughes, CEO of U.S. Masters Swimming. “Providing more opportunities for our members to participate in open water swimming, as either a fitness challenge or competitive endeavor, is a goal for all three of our organizations. We hope these initial events serve as a platform for further collaboration.”
The races are open to all skill levels, and each participant will receive a swim cap and event-specific t-shirt.
At both events, the open water swim will be held the day before triathlon racing begins.
The Legacy Triathlon open water swim will take place July 19 at 6 p.m. PT off the coast of Alamitos Beach in Long Beach, California. Both 750-meter and 1,500-meter options are available, and registration is now open at thelegacytriathlon.com. The action continues July 20 with the Legacy Triathlon age-group sprint-distance race, followed that same day by the Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships.
The open water swim at the Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships is set for Aug. 9 at 11 a.m. ET in Cleveland’s Lake Erie. The distance is 750m, and registration is now open at usatriathlon.org/agnc2019. (The open water swim is not considered a national championship event.) Triathlon racing gets underway Aug. 10 with the USA Triathlon Age Group Olympic-Distance National Championships, followed by the Sprint National Championships on Aug. 11.
At Age Group Nationals, a bundled discount is available to athletes who register for the open water swim in addition to the sprint- or Olympic-distance race the same weekend. Visit the Age Group Nationals and Legacy Triathlon event websites for complete pricing details.
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 Committee (USOC).
About USA Swimming: As the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States, USA Swimming is a 400,000-member service organization that promotes the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education. Our membership is comprised of swimmers from the age group level to the Olympic Team, as well as coaches and volunteers. USA Swimming is responsible for selecting and training teams for international competition including the Olympic Games and strives to serve the sport through its core objectives: Build the base, Promote the sport, Achieve competitive success. For more information, visit www.usaswimming.org.
About U.S. Masters Swimming: U.S. Masters Swimming encourages adults to enjoy the health, fitness, and social benefits of swimming by providing more than 2,000 adult swimming programs and events across the country, including open water and pool competitions. USMS’s nearly 65,000 members range from age 18 to 99 and include swimmers of all ability levels. USMS, a nonprofit, also trains and certifies coaches and provides online workouts, a bimonthly member magazine, monthly newsletters, and technique articles and videos at usms.org.
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