USA Triathlon Age Group Nationals Headed to Milwaukee

With approximately 4,500 of the nation's top amateur triathletes slated to compete, the Aug. 10-11 USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships in Milwaukee, Wis., featuring Olympic Distance and Sprint Nationals, is set to be the largest USA Triathlon National Championship event in the sport's history.

Held each year since 1983, the Olympic-distance race at Age Group Nationals has substantially grown in popularity over the past two years. In addition to a wait list, reserved spots are still available for athletes who place in the top 33 percent of their age group at one of the remaining regional championships or special qualifiers. A USA Triathlon-owned National Championship event for just the fourth year, Sprint Nationals will experience a record-high field as well. The 2012 event, held in Burlington, Vt., featured a record total of more than 3,500 registered competitors, and combined participation in the two races has more than doubled since 2010.

Over the course of two days next month, national titles will be up for grabs in 28 age groups. The Olympic-distance age group event consists of a 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run course, while the sprint event is comprised of a 750m swim, a 20k bike and a 5k run.  

Action will begin Saturday, Aug. 10 with the Olympic-Distance National Championship, followed Sunday, Aug. 11 with the Sprint National Championship. The races are scheduled to start 7:30 a.m. each day at Discovery World, along the shores of Lake Michigan. Visit usatriathlon.org for complete event information on Olympic Distance Nationals and Sprint Nationals. 

The weekend festivities will kick off Thursday, Aug. 8 with a banquet honoring 2012 USA Triathlon Athletes of the Year and Multisport Award winners. The banquet is hosted by the Age Group Committee and begins at 6:15 p.m. at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Honorees and registration information can be found on usatriathlon.org.

"We are excited to welcome more athletes than ever before to this year's Age Group National Championships in Milwaukee," said USA Triathlon Chief Executive Officer Rob Urbach. "We are looking forward to bringing this event to a scenic new venue with landmarks on Lake Michigan like Discovery World and the Milwaukee Art Museum. This should be a fantastic event experience thanks to support from the local organizing committee and the community."

The competitors in both events are among the best amateur triathletes in the country, with many having garnered numerous USA Triathlon All-America honors, national championships and world titles. They will travel to Milwaukee from all 50 states and the District of Columbia after meeting qualification standards at USA Triathlon-sanctioned qualifying events throughout the 2013 season.

In addition to the bragging rights of claiming a national title, athletes will be competing for coveted spots to represent the U.S. at the 2014 ITU World Championships in Edmonton, Canada. The top 18 finishers (rolling down to 25th place) in each age group in both the Olympic-distance and sprint events in Milwaukee will qualify for a Team USA slot.

Team USA is comprised of amateur athletes that represent the United States at each ITU world championship event. The 2013 ITU World Championships, which age-groupers qualified for in Burlington last year, will take place Sept. 11-15 in London, England.

The Milwaukee-area community is encouraged to come out and support the competitors and experience the excitement of multisport. Admission is free to all spectators.

Those interested in volunteering at Age Group Nationals can register for an available volunteer spot at volunteerlocal.com. To get involved as a local sponsor or vendor, please contact Wendy Hanisch at wendy@peakperformancepros.com or 414-704-4525.

About USA Triathlon: Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon - the fastest growing sport in the U.S. Olympic Movement - as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with more than 510,000 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 Summer Olympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).