USA Triathlon, along with race production company Team Magic., has announced that the 2020 USA Triathlon Clydesdale & Athena National Championships, initially scheduled to take place on June 28 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have been cancelled due to ongoing precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clydesdale & Athena Nationals were part of the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon hosted by Team Magic. When the Chattanooga event was forced to postpone due to COVID-19, the Clydesdale & Athena Nationals were rescheduled for August 15 as part of Team Magic’s 35th Annual Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon.
Due to the cross-state travel required for an authentic National Championship, and because the Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon has now switched from including an Olympic-distance race to being a sprint-distance-only event in order to properly implement COVID-19 safety precautions, USA Triathlon and event organizers determined that the Clydesdale & Athena National Championships can no longer take place in 2020.
The 2021 edition of Clydesdale & Athena Nationals will return to the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon on June 27.
“USA Triathlon strongly supports Team Magic’s decision to switch to a sprint-distance-only event for the Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon, in order to manage resources and implement COVID-19 safety protocols to the fullest extent,” said Brian D’Amico, Director of Events at USA Triathlon.
“With that said, hosting Clydesdale & Athena Nationals without all of its competitive distances, and without a national field due to travel complications during COVID-19, is not a fair situation for all athletes. We proud to work with Team Magic once again in 2021 to bring Clydesdale & Athena Nationals back to Chattanooga.”
“While we were hopeful to keep the Clydesdale & Athena National Championships on the calendar, we are confident this adjustment is the best option for us to produce a race in the current climate,” said Faye Yates, Owner and Director of Team Magic, and Race Director for the 2020 and 2021 USA Triathlon Clydesdale & Athena National Championships.
“Team Magic staff, along with our host venue and support staff, are committed to providing the best race possible to our local and regional racers, who are equally committed to follow the necessary safety protocols. We will miss seeing any Clydesdale and Athena participants who will not be able to participate at our modified event, and we look forward to hosting them in 2021.”
Athletes who were registered for the 2020 Clydesdale & Athena National Championships have the option to compete in the sprint-distance age-group race at the 2020 Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon, which is still scheduled for August 15, or transfer their registration to the 2021 Clydesdale & Athena National Championships in Chattanooga, the 2021 Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon or any future Team Magic event in 2020 or 2021. Athletes will receive an email from Team Magic with more details about how to select a deferral option.
Clydesdale & Athena Nationals have been held as a standalone event on USA Triathlon’s National Championship calendar since 2014. The Clydesdale & Athena competitive divisions are based on weight minimums outlined in the USA Triathlon Competitive Rules. Athletes competing in the Clydesdale division must be a minimum of 220 pounds, and athletes in the Athena division must be a minimum of 165 pounds.
