Endurance Exchange Starts Tomorrow

The second annual Endurance Exchange, an industry-wide conference for endurance sports, will take place as a virtual event this Thursday, Jan. 21, through Saturday, Jan. 23. More than 800 race directors, coaches, brands and retailers, medical professionals, athletes and others in the multisport community set to attend.

USA Triathlon launched Endurance Exchange last year in collaboration with Triathlon Business International (TBI) in an effort to grow, inspire and support the triathlon community by hosting the nation’s largest experiential triathlon summit where everyone within the multisport community can learn; share best practices, trends and innovations; network; and collaborate. The inaugural event was held in January 2020 in Tempe, Arizona, drawing more than 600 attendees.

This year’s virtual experience provides a safe opportunity to learn, share and network — offering greater flexibility, reducing costs and eliminating the need for constituents to travel in order to attend. All sessions will be recorded for attendees who are unable to watch live; registration will also remain open after the event (through Jan. 31) for anyone who wishes to view recorded content.

Endurance Exchange is open not just to those involved in the business of triathlon, but also to multisport enthusiasts of all types, from beginners to competitive age-group athletes to Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls. The conference features dedicated content tracks for coaches and race directors, with the opportunity to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) toward USA Triathlon certification or recertification. Athlete-focused sessions will cater to all skill and experience levels, including a number of presentations focused on preparing for the Age Group World Triathlon Championships as a member of USA Triathlon’s Team USA.

In addition to the formal sessions and networking events, attendees can also join guided virtual workouts each morning — including Pilates sessions led by Pilates for Sports, and indoor bike trainer rides and strength sessions led by USA Triathlon Certified Coaches.

Keynote speakers include Gwen Jorgensen, 2016 U.S. Olympic triathlon gold medalist and Tokyo 2020 Olympic 10k hopeful; Apolo Anton Ohno, decorated U.S. Olympic speedskater; Chris Mosier, transgender activist, Team USA athlete and U.S. Olympic Trials competitor in racewalking; Dr. John Ratey, accomplished neuropsychiatrist; and triathlon’s legendary “Big Four” — Mark Allen, Scott Molina, Dave Scott and Scott Tinley.

The conference features 70-plus of the endurance sports industry’s leading coaches, event directors, medical professionals, and sports marketing and business executives — including Molly Arbogast, President and CEO of POV Sports Marketing; Mike McCarley, President, Golf and Global Strategy, NBC Sports Group; Pat Hitchins, CEO of FitRankings; Gabriela Gallegos, President and Race Director of Race El Paso and member of the USA Triathlon Board of Directors and World Triathlon Executive Board; Wesley Johnson, Head Coach and Owner of Balanced Art Multisport and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s 2019 Paralympic Coach of the Year; Maria Simone, Owner and Head Coach of No Limits Endurance Coaching; Kyle McLaughlin, CEO of Tough Mudder; Andrew Messick, CEO of IRONMAN; and Doug Hiller, Orthopedic Surgeon at Washington State University and Medical Official for World Triathlon, IRONMAN and USA Triathlon.

Also scheduled to speak are Katie Zaferes, 2016 U.S. Olympian and 2019 World Triathlon champion; Tommy Zaferes, World Triathlon content producer and photographer; Grace Norman, 2016 U.S. Paralympic gold medalist and two-time world champion; Chris Nikic, the first athlete with Down syndrome to complete an IRONMAN; and Howie Sanborn, U.S. elite paratriathlete.

The emcee lineup includes some of the most engaging personalities across the multisport community:

• Bob Babbitt — USA Triathlon and IRONMAN Hall of Famer; Co-Founder, Challenged Athletes Foundation
• Steve Fleck — Coach, PR Endurance Training; Leading Endurance Sports Announcer and Commentator
• Michanda Myles — Model, Creative Strategist, Entrepreneur and Endurance Sports Announcer
• Mike Reilly — Renowned Triathlon Announcer, “The Voice of IRONMAN”
• Karen Smyers — Hall of Fame Triathlete, IRONMAN Legend, Coach, Race Director and Motivational Speaker
• Col. Yvonne Spencer — Air Force Colonel, Founder of FastChix Triathlon Club, Team Builder and Coach 

New for 2021, Endurance Exchange also encompasses the former Medical Multisport Conference, in which members of the medical community come together to discuss the latest developments and best practices for multisport athletes and events. Physicians, allied health professionals, physical therapists, chiropractors, race directors and coaches will meet as a medical constituency for virtual sessions and workshops to discuss topics ranging from race-day emergency response to cardiac health and long-term injury prevention, with a common goal of making the sport safe and enjoyable for all participants.

E2 Scholarship Awardees
For the second year, USA Triathlon awarded scholarships to Endurance Exchange to foster diversity, equity, inclusion and access, and to bring varied perspectives to the event, while encouraging the participation of individuals who may not otherwise have been able to attend.

The 19 scholarship recipients, up from 10 recipients in 2020, range in age from 17 to 65 and include a mix of coaches, race directors and officials — some USA Triathlon-certified and others currently pursuing certification — as well as club leaders and junior elite, collegiate and age group athletes.

It’s Not Too Late to Register
Registration for Endurance Exchange is $175 for General Attendee All-Access, $225 for Medical Professional All-Access and $50 for Athlete Insider Access. The Athlete Insider track includes all keynote presentations, general sessions, guided virtual morning workouts and the virtual expo, as well as select content focused on the inner workings of USA Triathlon and the age-group Team USA experience.

Coaches and race directors are eligible to earn 10 USA Triathlon CEUs toward coaching and/or race director certifications. Medical professionals are eligible to earn 8.5 Continuing Medical Education units (CMEs) approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Attendees must be registered under an All-Access price type to earn CEUs or CMEs.

Endurance Exchange attendees have the option to purchase a discounted $35 USA Triathlon Annual Membership or renewal (extension of 12 months from current expiration date) as part of registration — a $15 discount from regular membership pricing.

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 World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).