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US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor!
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This is BIG news - https://www.teamusa.org/...y-Automotive-Partner

USA Triathlon secures Toyota as a major partner/sponsor!

Kudos to, CEO Rocky Harris and the whole team at USA Triathlon.

This is a significant development. These non-endemic partners/sponsors, are VERY hard to find, and secure.


Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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So, are they going to announce a new triathlon specific car?
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
So, are they going to announce a new triathlon specific car?

The 4Runner is already a thing. I have the GX460 which is very similar and with the third-row seats removed (standard on the GX, optional on the 4R) it takes my and my wife's bikes inside, vertical, with the front wheel off but seatposts untouched. It then lets us pack as much as we'd like for any away race. The only thing I'd trade it for is the full-fat Land Cruiser (or Lexus LX), which is breathtakingly more expensive (and still a Toyota product).

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [Toby] [ In reply to ]
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I looked at the 4Runner but am holding on to my 2010 Honda Element for bike carry. I have the rear seats removed (it's now a 2 seater beater) and I can roll bikeS in with the front wheel ON, and can pack it floor to ceiling with gear. I wish Honda would restart the line but hope Toyota will come out with something just as good. Until then, I'm sticking with my old Element.
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
I looked at the 4Runner but am holding on to my 2010 Honda Element for bike carry. I have the rear seats removed (it's now a 2 seater beater) and I can roll bikeS in with the front wheel ON, and can pack it floor to ceiling with gear. I wish Honda would restart the line but hope Toyota will come out with something just as good. Until then, I'm sticking with my old Element.

I looked at that, but Elements are rather old these days for when I was buying, and they still don't get great mileage. And I'd rather have a bit more ability to deal with rough roads which we do sometimes get here in Texas around race venues (especially trail runs). It's hard to argue that the Element is anything but a great vehicle too, but yes, not being current makes it less appealing (especially since they hold onto their resale like rabid wolves).

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
So, are they going to announce a new triathlon specific car?

They already make a minivan.....

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Ha, ha! A minivan is a nonstarter!
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
Ha, ha! A minivan is a nonstarter!

Told my 12yo daughter that my next car would be a minivan to carry my bikes. Told it wouldn't be cool. She said, "just paint big flames down the doors". I told her that might make it worse....
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [velocomp] [ In reply to ]
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velocomp wrote:
HuffNPuff wrote:
Ha, ha! A minivan is a nonstarter!


Told my 12yo daughter that my next car would be a minivan to carry my bikes. Told it wouldn't be cool. She said, "just paint big flames down the doors". I told her that might make it worse....

Minivans certainly have utility, but I'm 61 and just not interested. Really though, I hope if Toyota is serious enough to sponsor USAT that they actually listen to triathletes about what makes a great tri-car. Most of the large SUVs these day all have 3 rows of seats. I don't want to buy that 3rd row; I don't want to store the seats in my garage; and I don't want to drag them around taking up recessed space if they fold into the floor. Family size is falling in the U.S., but they seem to think that the typical SUV buyer has a family of 7. Toyota, are you listening?
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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Same day USA Swimming announced signing Toyota (again). Swimming was with BMW for a couple of quads, but had Toyota in the mid aughts...

I wrote this, you should read it:
https://www.slowtwitch.com/...n_Swimming_6700.html
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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Makes sense from both perspectives.

Toyota gets a direct marketing pipeline to high(er) net worth individuals that tend to need larger vehicles for all their tri stuff & kids which also happen to be a more profitable & growing segment of the auto industry

USAT get's more money which they need to promote the Olympic pipeline, make DL college racing a D1 sport, run their certification programs, test AG's for doping & help come up with a better solution to prevent drafting for non drafting races

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
So, are they going to announce a new triathlon specific car?

I can't wait to see the thread on the aerodynamic assessment of such car


But really, I'd love to a 'duck' boat/car that you could use as a safety boat in an OWS. With built in bike racks. And a huge time-clock to draft off of.

808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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hadukla wrote:
HuffNPuff wrote:
So, are they going to announce a new triathlon specific car?


I can't wait to see the thread on the aerodynamic assessment of such car

But really, I'd love to a 'duck' boat/car that you could use as a safety boat in an OWS. With built in bike racks. And a huge time-clock to draft off of.

Carbon fiber exterior! Go big or go home!
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
I looked at the 4Runner but am holding on to my 2010 Honda Element for bike carry. I have the rear seats removed (it's now a 2 seater beater) and I can roll bikeS in with the front wheel ON, and can pack it floor to ceiling with gear. I wish Honda would restart the line but hope Toyota will come out with something just as good. Until then, I'm sticking with my old Element.

Every Element owner I have ever met says the same thing. There's a few at the local CX series that seem to hold more than a clown car. Yours must be a cargo monster with the 2nd row seats actually removed. Bonus points for that cute dog version they made as well.
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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Toyota gets a direct marketing pipeline to high(er) net worth individuals that tend to need larger vehicles for all their tri stuff & kids which also happen to be a more profitable & growing segment of the auto industry.


Brian,


Clearly USAT does not offer the kind of numbers that other sports opportunities - say in Pro team sports offer. But as you note the demographic of triathlon is VERY appealing. What's of importance here, when lower numbers are involved is what is the activation part of this going to be - How will Toyota be able to activate their partnership with USAT - this will be key!

The good news these days is the consumers are valuing more than ever now EXPERIENCES - and less so, great feelings from, a purchased good. ALL endurance sports races/events (running, cycling and triathlon almost by default are about the EXPERIENCE (or should be)! Now you link that experience, and the emotional high from it TO the brand (Toyota).

A survey of 6000 women for Women's Running Magazine found that for the vast majority of women, running was the most important thing in their lives! I site this as an example of how heightened the emotions are generally for endurance sports athletes - this can be a real win for sponsors, when it's activated in the right kind of way.


Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Minivan is clearly the answer for sports. We have two. By far the best way to roll.
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [iamuwere] [ In reply to ]
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I was traveling to an out of town du when my car was in the shop. I rented a minivan - least expensive way to get the cargo room AND be available pretty much all time time. It was pretty sweet - gobs of room, pretty plush driving environment (I had a 5 hr, mostly interstate drive). Liked it much more than I thought. But when it cane time for a new vehicle (a few months ago), I chose among the most impracticable vehicle available - a Mazda MX-5 Miata. Santa brought me a trailer hitch for the new car - now I have to install it. That was my 'normal' bike transport on the old car - an Infiniti I35 - bike rack that installed into a 1 1/4" receiver hitch. Aiming for the same solution with the Miata (but about 1/4 of the storage space)...
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
Ha, ha! A minivan is a nonstarter!

Highlander Hybrid. A minivan for those who don’t want a minivan. 29 MPG and room for tons of gear. Still fits in garage with short roof box. Seats fold flat - so you can nap or sleep in the car or put your bike in.
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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Toyota used to make an Element-eque car. It was the Scion xB. First generation was excellent. Second less so.

We have a CR-V and a Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen with AWD. Both of these we will drive into the ground. But we manage to get three adults, a child seat, two bikes, and all the gear associated with that into the CR-V. We'll eventually get a hitch rack for it just to free up some space inside, but it can be done!

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [rrheisler] [ In reply to ]
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Toyota should have partnered with Lifetime Olympic series like before.. I don't think going to usat will help growth of the sport, just grow their office people's pockets
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [synthetic] [ In reply to ]
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Although I've certainly had my differences with USAT policy in the past, I don't think you can say, given the re-investment into programs for 2019, that they're not trying to grow the sport. They're in a much different place than they were, say, 10 years ago, where it felt clear that all USAT cared about was the Olympic development program versus the bread and butter AG population.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
So, are they going to announce a new triathlon specific car?

Prius V, bitch!
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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Congrats to USAT. I'm glad Toyota is still selling multiple sedans. Not every triathlete needs an SUV. The proliferation of larger vehicles certainly aren't making the roads safer for pedestrians or cyclists.
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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I didn't see it mentioned but does this mean that I can get a discount on my next Toyota purchase?






Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/
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Re: US Triathlon Secures - A Major Partner/Sponsor! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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If you are looking for a triathlon car look not further than the Hyundai Kona. But in all seriousness I was a Toyota Sienna owner until we recently traded it in for a Kia Sorento. As of right now we are a one car family, but if that ever goes to two cars you can bet that Toyota just moved themselves to the top of the shopping list.

Does anyone have information on the dollar amounts/other benefits involved with this partnership?

Ironman Lake Placid 2021| 70.3 Worlds St. George 2021
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