I did ToughMan as my first 70.3 on Sunday over AC even though I love DelMo and they put on a fantastic race. I appreciated the small field size and the lake was a great swim venue. Bike course going out on Lake Welch Parkway absolutely sucked...this is the only negative thing I can possibly say about the race but once on 7 Lakes it was an incredible course. Challenging but nothing overwhelming. Volunteers were amazing and there were ample aid stations. The fact it was a solid $100 cheaper than AC and an hour closer to me was an easy sell to me.

Yes, James is a professional and is very good. He did well at Lake Placid this year and was within a few minutes of a Kona slot.


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Why not up the prize purse form $4,900 to $5,000 to make it a re-qualifier for pros and their elite license to pull more top athletes?


In addition to renewing an elite license yearly, all elite athletes must extend their eligibility to compete as an elite athlete. Elite athletes must submit ONE (1) race result in which the athlete finished within 8% of the winner’s time at an event sanctioned by USAT, the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) or Challenge Family that offered a prize purse of $5,000 or greater. By submitting this result, the athlete then extends his or her eligibility expiration date for three (3) years from December 31st of the year in which he or she submitted the result. Example: Athlete X is approved for a first- time elite license in March 2017 therefore they have an eligibility expiration date of December 31, 2020. That athlete then has all of 2018, 2019 and 2020 to submit ONE (1) race result where he/she finished within 8% of the winner’s time at an event offering $5,000 or more. If the race result is from 2018, eligibility is extended until December 31, 2021. If the race result is from 2019, eligibility is extended until December 31, 2022.

Moreover, why not take that $25,000 and put it into the pro purse and make the event a pro qualifier?

CRITERIA F: Finish top-3 overall in the amateur field at an Elite Qualifying Race.

2019 Elite Qualifying Races:

All triathlons sanctioned by an ITU recognized National Federation or the ITU with 200 or more participating athletes and a corresponding elite race in the same distance with $20,000 or more in elite prize money shall be Elite Qualifying Races. Please confirm prize purse amounts directly with race organizers.
*For those races in which only one (1) gender has a prize purse greater than $20,000, an Elite License will only be granted to the gender receiving the prize money.