USA Triathlon has confirmed that the 2019 Toyota USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Championships will be held on July 20 as part of the inaugural Legacy Triathlon in Long Beach, California.
The race will take place at Alamitos Beach, the proposed site of the triathlon competitions at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Athletes will chase national titles in six paratriathlon sport classes.
Paratriathlon Nationals will be held in conjunction with an age-group sprint-distance race, with all athletes covering a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run.
USA Triathlon is the first National Governing Body in the US Olympic family to bring a new annual event to the Los Angeles footprint ahead of the 2028 Games, giving participants the chance to be a part of Southern California’s rich Olympic history.
“The Legacy Triathlon enables our nation’s top paratriathletes to race for national titles on the same roads where they may be competing for gold medals in 2028,” said Amanda Duke Boulet, Paralympic Program Director at USA Triathlon. “The spectator-friendly course and thriving multisport community in Southern California also gives us the exciting opportunity to showcase our USA Paratriathlon standouts to a new audience.”
“We’re delighted to be partnering with USA Triathlon to bring the Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships to the home of the 2028 Games,” said Dedra DeLilli, Group Manager, Toyota Olympic/Paralympic Marketing. “We’re grateful that USA Triathlon shares in our commitment to elevate the Paralympics, the sport of paratriathlon, and most importantly, the elite athletes that work tirelessly day in and day out to race at this level.”
USA Triathlon unveiled its vision for the Legacy Triathlon at a press conference in Long Beach last May. Held annually, the Legacy Triathlon will expand into a two-day multisport festival that includes both amateur and elite racing, as well as ancillary activities and community outreach initiatives.
In addition to chasing national titles, athletes competing at the 2019 Toyota USA Triathlon Paratriathlon Nationals also have the opportunity to qualify for the USA Paratriathlon Development Team Program, which is designed to identify and develop athletic potential leading into the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Athletes wishing to compete at the 2019 Toyota USA Triathlon Paratriathlon Nationals must be officially classified in a paratriathlon sport class and must have completed a USA Triathlon or ITU Sanctioned Event (that meets distance and time standards) between May 1, 2018, and July 2, 2019.
Athletes who are not classified or who do not meet the time standards may choose to race in the PC Open Division, which does not require qualification. A National Classification opportunity will be offered in Long Beach prior to the event.
Southern California has a long history of involvement in paratriathlon. The San Diego-based Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) has provided financial and equipment-based support for adaptive athletes since 1997, and CAF’s annual San Diego Triathlon Challenge is one of the largest paratriathlon events in the United States.
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