ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Coming to Chicago

The 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final and World Championships are scheduled for Sept. 15-19 in Chicago's Grant Park. 

The world's best triathletes will compete for world championships titles, and in some cases Olympic or Paralympic qualification spots, in what will be one of the most thrilling triathlon events on the calendar this season. More than 8,000 competitors, including elites, age-group athletes, paratriathletes, juniors and under-23 athletes, are expected to race over four days of competition. 

The schedule is highlighted by the elite ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final, which will crown world champions less than one year ahead of the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. USA's Gwen Jorgensen (St. Paul, Minn.) and Spain's Javier Gomez currently lead the points race to the Grand Final. The U.S. women have three ranked in the top four, while the Spanish men hold the top-three positions in the rankings. More on the current rankings and the points breakdown is available at wts.triathlon.org. A total prize purse of $280,000 will be awarded in Chicago, as well as an additional bonus pool for the world champions based on the final World Triathlon Series standings.

Top international action also includes ITU Elite Paratriathlon World Championships, slated to take place on the morning of Friday, Sept. 18, less than one year to paratriathlon's debut on the Paralympic Games program in Rio de Janeiro. Winners of six sport classes will earn a country spot, which allows their respective National Federation to field a team. 

The full schedule of events can be found at chicago.triathlon.org.

The City of Chicago joined the ITU World Triathlon Series in 2014 and will host the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final and World Championships in September 2015. Chicago will welcome 150 of the world's top Olympic-distance triathletes as they compete for a world championship title less than a year prior to the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. In addition to the elite races, the event features top-flight sprint and Olympic-distance races for age-group athletes, paratriathletes, juniors and under-23s, as well as an aquathlon to kick off the action. In all, more than 8,000 of the world's best triathletes will compete for world titles over five days of competition. The ITU World Triathlon Grand Final and World Championships are hosted by USA Triathlon, the National Governing Body for the sport of triathlon in the United States, and Lagardère Unlimited Events North America. Launched in 2009, the ITU World Triathlon Series is televised in more than 160 countries. Visit chicago.triathlon.org for more information.