Following strong growth in participation and a successful event in 2014, USA Triathlon will return to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on 8-9 August 2015 for the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships, the organization’s largest and longest-running National Championships event.
The event first came to Milwaukee and the city’s Lake Michigan lakeshore in 2013, hosting a record field of nearly 4,000 athletes at the Milwaukee Art Museum and Discovery World. The economic impact of the 2013 event was nearly US$5.8 million, and the event was also voted the Best Urban Triathlon in the 2013 Triathlon Business International Triathletes’ Choice Awards.
In 2014, the event sold out with a registered field of 5,700 athletes vying for national titles and world championships spots in the Olympic-distance and sprint events on 9-10 August.
“The City of Milwaukee and our local organizing committee have been superb hosts over the past two years while helping us welcome record fields for this marquee race,” said Rob Urbach, USA Triathlon CEO. “The participant feedback for the venue and the entire event experience has been overwhelmingly positive, so we are thrilled to announce the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships — one of the sport’s largest events — will return to Milwaukee in 2015.”
“We are honoured that USA Triathlon has decided to return to Milwaukee for an unprecedented third time in 2015,” said Paul Upchurch, President and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee. “Milwaukee’s lakefront has proved to be a spectacular venue for this event, which results in nearly US$6 million in economic impact to the community. This amazing event would not be possible without the hard work of the entire community to ensure that the triathlon runs smoothly and the athletes have the best experience possible.”
The 8 August 2015 Olympic-distance race features a 1,500m swim, 40K bike and 10K run, while the sprint race on 9 August will showcase a 750m swim, 20K bike and 5K run. The races will serve as qualifiers for Team USA, the select group of amateur triathletes who represent the US at International Triathlon Union World Championship events.
The 2015 Age Group Nationals in Milwaukee will serve as the sole event qualifier for Team USA for the 2016 ITU Age Group World Championships, with the location for that event still to be determined.
