In its latest release, USA Triathlon (USAT) has finalised the dates and sites for its 2011 National Championship schedule – one that will give America’s top multisport athletes the chance to pursue national titles at 13 National Championship events in 10 coast-to-coast cities.
Sold-out events and record-setting fields marked the 2010 USA Triathlon National Championship season, which featured the only events in which athletes can earn official USAT National Champion status.
"USA Triathlon has assembled an outstanding National Championship line up for 2011, which provides our members with a number of challenging venues at which they can pursue the dream of becoming a national champion," said USA Triathlon Director of National Events Jeff Dyrek.
"We hosted the nation’s finest multisport athletes at each of our events in 2010, and we look forward to further exceeding the national championship experience in 2011."
Ten cities will host 2011 USA Triathlon National Championships: Midway, Utah; Birmingham, Alabama; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Tucson, Arizona; Longmont, Colorado; San Diego, California; New York, NY; Burlington, Vermont; Ogden, Utah; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Highlighting the schedule are the USA Triathlon Age Group and Sprint National Championships, which will be held on 20-12 August 2011, in Burlington. The course is expected to take athletes through Lake Champlain and Battery Park for both the 2011 and 2012 events. Nearly 1,700 athletes completed the events over the course of two days this year in Tuscaloosa.
Tuscaloosa will host a major triathlon championship for the fifth consecutive year on 9 April 2011, when the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship returns for the first time since 2008. The nation’s top college athletes will compete on an Olympic-distance course similar to the one used at this year’s Age Group Nationals. A sprint event also will be offered for the second straight year.
After reaching record numbers in recent years in Richmond, Virginia, USAT’s Duathlon National Championship will head west to Tucson, Arizona, on 30 April 2011. This event will feature age group and elite on-road duathlon championships, as well as an off-road event.
The USA Triathlon Junior and Youth National Championship will return to San Diego for a second consecutive year on 6 August 2011. The event enjoyed a record number of more than 500 participants in 2010, and it will once again feature the Youth Elite (ages 13-15) and Junior Elite (ages 16-19) National Championships, as well as the Youth National Championship for ages 7-15. A team relay event, which received rave reviews in its first instalment, is planned for a second straight year.
The 2011 USA Triathlon National Championship schedule kicks off with the 15 January USAT Winter Triathlon National Championship, held in conjunction with the Bash Winter Triathlon, in Midway, Utah.
In addition to chasing national titles, athletes also will be competing for prized spots on Team USA at a number of USA Triathlon National Championships. Team USA is comprised of age group athletes that represent the US at each ITU world championship event.
2011 USA Triathlon National Championship Schedule
Jan 15 Winter Triathlon National Championship (Bash Winter Triathlon); Midway, Utah
Mar 27 Long Course Duathlon National Championship (Powerman Alabama); Birmingham, Alabama
Apr 9 Collegiate National Championship; Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Apr 30 Age Group Duathlon National Championship; Tucson, Arizona
Apr 30 Elite Duathlon National Championship; Tucson, Arizona
May 21 Aquathlon National Championship (America’s Cup Aquathlon); Longmont, Colorado
Aug 6-7 Junior and Youth National Championship (ages 7-19); San Diego, California
Aug 7 Paratriathlon National Championship (Nautica New York City Triathlon); New York, NY
Aug 20 Age Group National Championship; Burlington, Vermont
Aug 21 Sprint National Championship; Burlington, Vermont
Sep. 24 Off-Road National Championship (XTERRA USA Championship); Ogden, Utah
Oct 8-9 Long Course Triathlon National Championship (Myrtle Beach Triathlon); Myrtle Beach, SC
Oct 8-9 Club National Championship (Myrtle Beach Triathlon); Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
