MAKING A SPLASH WITH THE NEWLY DEVELOPED USA TRIATHLON SPLASH AND DASH YOUTH AQUATHLON SERIES
Written by Brian D’Amico, USA Triathlon Youth Event and Program Manager, USA Triathlon Certified Race Director, and NAYS Certified Youth
Sports Administrator
When you first hear the word aquathlon, there may immediately be thoughts and concerns that run through your head. The first may be “how do I pronounce this word?” and the next may be “what exactly is an aquathlon?” An aquathlon is commonly referred to as a Splash and Dash, especially for youth races. The terminology is fairly self explanatory as the athlete will take part in two legs of the race: swimming and running. An aquathlon may use one of two variations: swim/run combination or swim/run/swim combination. This is dependent on a multitude of factors such as water temperature, if wetsuits are permitted, and the
10 USA TRIATHLON YOUTH GUIDE
level of competition for the race. 2012 marked the inaugural year of the USA Triathlon Splash and Dash Youth Aquathlon Series, which aims to drive youth participation in multisport, beginning with an aquathlon. The series targets youth ages 7-15 to become involved and live an active lifestyle all through a fun, exciting, and community oriented environment. In order for USA Triathlon to successfully reach the largest scope of youth participants, 30 events were selected for the series’ inaugural year with three events in each of the ten USA Triathlon Regions across the United States. These 30 events were a part of the 2012 USA Triathlon Splash and Dash Youth Aquathlon Series. The 2013 series will feature 40 events across the United States with the series planning to grow in 2014 and beyond. Each of the events are sanctioned by USA Triathlon.
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