USA Triathlon announced the four events that comprise the 2015 women's collegiate triathlon season, highlighted by the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championship on Nov. 7 at Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont, Florida.
The Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championship and three regional qualifiers will showcase the structure implemented in 2014 for the inaugural season, with a maximum field of 75 women racing on a draft-legal 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike, 5-kilometer run course. Triathlon received overwhelming approval through a voting process in January 2014 at the NCAA Convention in San Diego by Division I, II and III colleges and universities to be included as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, and has a 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability as an NCAA sport option.
The season begins on Sept. 12 at the Triathlon at Pacific Grove, which serves as the west qualifier, in Pacific Grove, California. The Women's Collegiate Triathlon Central Regional Qualifier will take place in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, on Sept. 27, and the North Carolina Draft-Legal Triathlon on Oct. 3 in Greensboro, North Carolina, is the east qualifier.
The top-four five-woman teams from each regional qualifier, as well as the top-five individual women from those events, will automatically earn a spot for the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championship on Nov. 7. The National Championship field will be limited to 75 women. Additional spots will be awarded to women representing schools that have received Women's Triathlon Emerging Sport Grant funding, USA Triathlon-registered collegiate club teams, and junior elite athletes. Participation by athletes in the National Championship will have no impact on NCAA eligibility. More information on invitation criteria is available at usatriathlon.org/ncaa.
Each of the four races held as part of the 2015 women's collegiate triathlon season will feature age-group races, highlighting the community aspect noted on the proposal approved by the NCAA in January 2014. Age-group races include the USA Triathlon Draft-Legal Worlds Qualifiers in Clermont, Florida, on Nov. 7-8, which will allow top finishers to earn spots to represent the U.S. at select ITU World Championship events.
Lake Louisa State Park was the site of the inaugural women's National Championship event in 2014, and Kelly Kosmo of UCLA claimed victory against a field of women ages 16-25.
For more information on triathlon as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, visit usatriathlon.org/ncaa. For questions regarding events and programming, as well as invitation requests for the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championship, contact Jess Luscinski at jess.luscinski@usatriathlon.org.
2015 Event Schedule
2015 Women's Collegiate Triathlon West Regional Qualifier
Sept. 12, 2015
Pacific Grove, Calif.
2015 Women's Collegiate Triathlon Central Regional Qualifier (website to be announced)
Sept. 27, 2015
Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
2015 Women's Collegiate Triathlon East Regional Qualifier
Oct. 3, 2015
Greensboro, N.C.
2015 Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championship
Qualification required
Nov. 7, 2015
Clermont, Fla.
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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