Four bids on table for ITU's inaugural Multisport World Championship Festival in 2017Triathlon - 01 May 2015 -

By Jonathan Rest

Four cities have submitted bids to host triathlon's inaugural ITU Multisport World Championship Festival, which will combine the world championships of four of its secondary disciplines into a single event, in 2017.

Sportcal can reveal that Odense, on the Danish island of Fyn, Poznan in Poland, Penticton in British Columbia, Canada and Okinawa Islands in Japan are all in the running to stage the Festival, which will consist of duathlon (run - bike - run), aquathlon (swim - run) cross triathlon (swim - cross-country run - mountain bike) and long distance triathlon.

The International Triathlon Union launched the initiative in January in a bid to raise the worldwide profile of its secondary disciplines. Site visits have taken place, with the host city to be selected by the ITU executive board on 15 May.

The Danish Triathlon Federation, which is being supported by Sport Event Denmark, is the only candidate to have made its bid public.

The ITU Multisport World Championship Festival will offer both elite and mass participation races and is expected to attract over 2,500 age group athletes, with their families and support teams, helping to generate up to 45,000 visitor nights, with the average visitor expected to stay a minimum of 5.6 nights, and the races set to be contested over two weekends.

The fee levied by the ITU for hosting the event is $300,000, made up of a $200,000 prize fund and a $100,000 event rights fee.

The event rights fee will help fund a 52-minute television highlights package, web highlights package and news items for international distribution.

In return, the organising committee will receive 100 per cent of the revenue from: the event title sponsor; public institutions; sponsorship; entry fees from the athletes; food and beverage sales; and ticket sales.

I spent a month in Okinawa a couple years back. The people there were nice and the island is lovely, I'm jut trying to imagine adding a couple thousand people to them. Not to mentioned the costs to get there are pretty expensive.

I was expecting to see an announcement today regarding the location, but I haven't seen anything. I also wondered whether they would finalize the location for the 2016 duathlon race.

Just checked, there is nothing on the ITU media site yet. I've emailed the media liaison for info.

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Jimmy Archer

I checked a half dozen times today. Disappointed they did not meet their own deadline!

I love aquathon. With so few aquathon races, how will anyone qualify?

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Once the 2017 worlds are set you must attend the qualifying USAT nationals...typically in the prior year. From USAT's website: "There are no qualification standards to race the USA Triathlon Aquathlon National Championships and all skill levels are welcome. This is the only opportunity to qualify for Aquathlon World Championships."

So we wait for ITU to announce worlds, then we wait for USAT to set up the 2016 nats for the 4 disciplines that will be contested in the multisport festival. Short course duathlon nats have already been awarded to Bend, Oregon for Jun 2016 and Jun 2017.

The sites have now been announced. Penticon, British Columbia for 2017 and Denmark for 2018. I still haven't seen anything regarding the Duathlon World Championships for 2016.

YES!!! I totally forgot to check today...thank you.

From their FB page: HERE

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https://www.pbandjcoaching.com
https://www.thisbigroadtrip.com

Removed per request of host committee.

Sounds a bit more suspicious that intended I think! :) The link mentioned in the above post was no longer valid, all info had been removed from there. Anyone wanting a touch more info can visit the ITU site ... HERE but more info from the organisers will be coming very soon. I will post stuff on this thread as it comes out. Great news for Penticton though, it would be cool to get a list of qualifying race up too ...

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https://www.pbandjcoaching.com
https://www.thisbigroadtrip.com

Not sure if already posted somewhere else, but just stumbled upon this info about duathlon worlds 2016- Spain or OKC?
(Info at bottom of the page)

http://www.usatriathlon.org/...l-championships.aspx

Still undecided maybe? Penticton is the first time there will be the multi disciplinary festival I believe.

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https://www.pbandjcoaching.com
https://www.thisbigroadtrip.com

If I read the USAT page right if Duathlon goes to Spain Duathlon will be a Sprint DRAFT Legal race & the only way to qualify is to do the DL Spring tri in Florida.
Sounds odd way to choose a Duathlon team

That's not how I read it. What is says to me is that if the ITU awards the race to Spain then it will be draft legal only and there are TWO opportunities to qualify.

Opportunity 1 (8 spots) - race non-draft short course at St Paul next month BUT you don't know whether you made it until the end of the year.

Opportunity 2 (10 spots) - race draft legal event at Clermont in Nov. Although this race doesn't happen until Nov, these spots will be awarded first. Then, about the end of the year, they will go back to the St Paul and offer up the 8 reserved spots to others providing they are within 30% of the AG winner time.

So in reality, the best chance to make it is to do both races.

Got it
Reading on my phone limits my comprehension appreciably!
Thanks for clarification

Anyone know where you can qualify for USAT for long course and duathlon?

Can you only qualify at Bend for duathlon?

I believe Bend is the only qualifier for the du.

USAT is supposed to announce the Long Tri NC soon. That will qualify for the Long Tri WC.

Yep, I think Bend is the only location but the wording on USAT's website isn't explicit and opens the door for alternatives if they so choose. Someone said in another post that USAT was supposed to announce the 2016 Long Course Nats qualifier at Chicago this weekend, but I haven't seen anything. Any speculation out there?


Meanwhile, Zofingen, Switzerland has been announced as the 2016 and 2017 ITU Long Course Duathlon World Championship. No surprise there.

I think (opinion only) is that USAT is hedging its bets for the du. If attendance/qualification is off, they may have another option or two.

Rumor for the Long Tri NC is that it won't be on the west coast. Hopefully they announce it soon.