From the CEO By Rob Urbach
EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF 2013 I
n 2013, USA Triathlon experienced a banner year with plenty of big wins to share and celebrate — too many, in fact, to list on one page — but here are some of my top picks... BEST TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT Many members have been frustrated trying to navigate the USA Triathlon National Rankings on our website. Late in 2013, USA Triathlon launched its results engine, a new website feature with the most comprehensive results and rankings search engine available to multisport athletes.
Visit
rankings.usatriathlon.org to take a test drive and find your results, dating back to 2009. BEST DEBUT
The USA Triathlon Super Sprint Series was the debut of an exciting new format, with events staged for the first time in history under the lights in primetime in Las Vegas during Interbike (the cycling industry’s trade show) plus two races in San Diego. This fast-paced format was televised on Universal Sports and featured athletes completing a super-sprint triathlon circuit twice. We believe this format will attract more spectators and media to our sport. BEST SEASON Proving she’s not just a force on the run, Gwen Jorgensen
Age Group Nationals
competitive Olympic- and sprint-distance race in the country and featured everything from video boards, live streaming, a sky box and none other than four-time Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington handing out finisher medals. Qualify and go in 2014. Visit
www.usatriathlon.org/ nationalchampionships to learn more about Age Group Nationals and our other top events. BEST MULTISPORT EVENING Two of my favorite
nights of the Gwen Jorgensen’s big win in San Diego
year are award nights that recognize our members. One of those is the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which was held in conjunction with Omegawave World Triathlon San Diego. This year, we honored Missy LeStrange, Jim MacLaren and Julie Moss. The second key celebration is our Athletes of the Year dinner, which honored outstanding age-group performers. Also on that night, USA Triathlon recognized pioneering race director Rob Vigorito with a lifetime achievement award. BEST COACHING INITIATIVE
In the coaching realm, we conducted a Level II Endurance Certification. This new class took place in Kona to serve the coaches who are long-course focused, a previously underserved area. BEST GROWTH
improved her swim and bike in 2013, a year in which she won three ITU World Triathlon Series races. Gwen became the first American woman in history to win a WTS race when she broke away on the run to win in front of an exuberant crowd in San Diego. We’re looking forward to even more big things from Gwen and our elite athletes in 2014. BEST ANNOUNCEMENT Earlier this year, the ITU selected Chicago to host a World
Triathlon Series race in 2014 (including age-group and paratriathlon events) AND the Age Group World Championships/Elite Grand Final in 2015. This provides all age-groupers with the opportunity to do another top-notch race on home soil in 2014 and also gives members of Team USA home-field advantage in the Grand Final, slated for September 2015. BEST NEW SERIES In 2013, USA Triathlon launched a first-of-its-kind Retro Series, which lowers psychological, financial and competitive barriers for triathletes across the United States. The series is an ideal newbie gateway. Visit
www.usatriathlon.org/retro. BEST EVENT EXPERIENCE The USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships — the largest national event in our organization’s history — were bolstered by the vibrant atmosphere, which made this race the most
22 USA TRIATHLON WINTER 2014
The continued growth of our Splash & Dash youth aquathlon series is encouraging for the future of our sport. The event expanded to 40 cities nationwide and saw more than 2,400 participants. Visit
www.usatriathlon.org/splashanddash to find an event near you in 2014 as we continue to grow this exciting youth series. BEST RACE EXPERIENCES
I’m fortunate from time to time to be able to jump into a few races, including the ITU Aquathlon World Championships in London, the sprint-distance race at Age Group Nationals and a couple of my favorite races in Colorado. I always look forward to racing alongside my multisport brethren, so be sure to say hello. BEST MOMENT
Of course seeing the last finishers beat the midnight hour in Kona is always one of the most magical moments every year, as is the end of almost any race. If you stand at any community race and watch the last folks finish, you witness the positive emotion generated by that accomplishment for that person, who may have overcome challenging obstacles to get across that finish line. Powerful stuff. Congrats to all the competitors out there. USA Triathlon aims to build on its success in 2013 as we’re already looking ahead to 2014 and beyond with a number of new, exciting initiatives to enhance your membership experience. Happy Holidays!
Paul Phillips/Competitive Image
Paul Phillips/Competitive Image
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