From the CEO GO ONLINE
Wrapping Up a Successful Summer By Rob Urbach
As I write this I am returning home from Beijing after attending the 2011 International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships. It was an amazing few days of racing at the 2008 Olympic venue. The week started off with the Aquathlon World Championships (2.5k run, 1k swim, 2.5k run) and, over the next few days, there were World Championship races held in the Under-23, Junior and Paratriathlon categories, as well as the Age Group Olympic and Sprint Distances. And, of course, on the elite side the event featured the ITU World Championship Series (WCS) Grand Final. In all, Americans won 61 medals — 24 gold, 21 silver and 16 bronze. The ITU also held its Annual Congress in Beijing in conjunction with these races, and USA Triathlon was awarded an ITU WCS event in San Diego for next May. There are three different levels of ITU racing (draft-legal) for the world’s top professionals: Continental Cup races, of which there are 57 around the world; nine World Cup races; and eight World Championship Series events. The U.S. will now join Australia, Austria, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland in hosting the sport’s premier Olympic-distance event. Additionally next year’s race will serve as the second of two qualifiers to determine the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. 150 of the world’s fastest triathletes — 75 men and 75 women — will compete at the iconic Mission Bay in San Diego, which lies adjacent to Fiesta Island — the very birthplace of the sport in 1974. ITU pro races, with multiple bike and run laps, are not only great for spectators but also make for compelling television. The race will be broadcast around the world, to more than 120 countries. (You can watch archived ITU races on
www.triathlon.org/multimedia.) As is the case with all WCS races, age-groupers will be a big part of the action. This is a destination race, so athletes can feel free to bring the family and spend the whole weekend. The Olympic- distance race will be held on Saturday, May 11 and the sprint-
To read more from Rob, visit his weekly From the CEO Blog on
usatriathlon.org.
distance race will take place on Sunday, May 12. There is no better way to spend Mother’s Day than swimming in the Pacific Ocean, biking through La Jolla and brunching in Mission Bay! In August, I also was fortunate to attend a trio of meaningful triathlons: the ITU WCS/Olympic Test Event in London; the USA Triathlon Age Group & Sprint Nationals in Burlington, Vt., and last but not least, the Nottingham Youth Triathlon in Mt. Airy, Md., which served as the USA Triathlon Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships. This race included more than 200 kids under the age of 14, and featured a mix of first-timers and skilled triathletes. The annual event is hosted by the Mini Cow Tri Club (minicowtriclub. com), which is operated by the husband-and-wife team of Brian and Christy Lausch. Brian and Christy put on a stellar race under pressure from an imminent Hurricane Irene closing in on Maryland. The Mini Cow kids not only looked good in their matching kits, but their performances included skilled transitions, flying dismounts and overall sportsmanship.
As the founder of Multisport Madness Triathlon Team (
mmtt3.org) in Chicago and the Elite Triathlon Academy in Colorado Springs, Keith Dickson preaches the philosophy that a team environment creates champions. By way of example, no world-class swimmer has made it to that level by training on his/her own. In short, success begets success. It’s true in life, true in business
and true in triathlon. Our future pros, Olympians, and “triathlon pied pipers” will come from clubs such as Mini Cow. These clubs provide ideal training environments and incorporate the important socialization of a team culture, creating strong bonds. A poignant example of this culture is Lukas Verzbicas winning
the ITU World Junior Championship gold medal in Beijing this week for MMTT teammate Kevin McDowell as he battles cancer. This is powerful; we have triathletes racing for their teammates, for a bigger cause, and ultimately for their country.
USA Triathlon CEO Rob Urbach competed in the ITU Aquathlon World Championship in Beijing, China, part of an action-packed week for USA Triathlon and its athletes.
John Martin 26 USA TRIATHLON FALL 2011
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