The USA Triathlon Foundation is the charity partner for Endurance Conference, a new virtual conference for athletes that is set to take place on June 5-7. Endurance Conference is founded and created by Juan Lopez Salaberry, a sports marketing executive and member of USA Triathlon’s amateur Team USA.
The inaugural event is free and open to the public, and it will be ‘completely carbon-neutral in commitment to sustainability.’
A release from national governing body USA Triathlon, unveiling the new consumer event, notes that… ‘Endurance Conference is not affiliated with Endurance Exchange, an in-person triathlon industry conference created and co-hosted by USA Triathlon and Triathlon Business International (TBI) that held its inaugural event on January 23-25 in Tempe, Arizona.’
The new virtual event will combine different voices in the sport of triathlon, featuring… ‘world champions and Olympians, world-class coaches, community leaders, managers and more, with the intention to provide a pure athlete-focused educational experience.’
The lineup of confirmed speakers includes:
- Katie Zaferes, 2019 ITU World Champion and 2016 US Olympian;
- Timothy O’Donnell, 2009 ITU Long Distance World Champion and multi-time IRONMAN World Championship podium finisher;
- Andy Potts, IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion and 2004 US Olympian;
- Allysa Seely, 2016 Paralympic Gold Medallist and three-time ITU Paratriathlon World Champion;
- Grace Norman, 2016 Paralympic Gold Medalist and two-time ITU Paratriathlon World Champion;
- Chris Hammer, 2016 US Paralympian;
- Sebastian Kienle, 2014 IRONMAN World Champion and 2012-2013 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion;
- Angela Naeth, Canadian elite triathlete and community leader;
- Wesley Johnson, 2019 Team USA Awards Paralympic Coach of the Year;
- Dr Tekemia Dorsey, Founder of the International Association of Black Triathletes and USA Triathlon Board Member;
- Tommy Zaferes, elite triathlete and professional ITU photographer; and
- Justin Lippert, five-time USA Triathlon age-group national champion and first-year elite.
Endurance Conference is free to attend, but participants must register in advance at enduranceconference.com. Donations are encouraged. All proceeds will support the USA Triathlon Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund, which provides grants to those in the multisport community who have been impacted by COVID-19 – including race directors, coaches and clubs.
The fund has raised more than US$110,000 to date, and grant applications are now being accepted at usatriathlonfoundation.org.
“The USA Triathlon Foundation is honoured to be selected as the charity partner for Endurance Conference, an innovative event that will bring athletes together virtually to learn from each other and network during this unprecedented time,” said David Deschenes, USA Triathlon Foundation Executive Director.
“We are proud to continue driving support for those in our multisport community whose livelihoods have been affected by COVID-19, and to support those who keep our industry strong so we can enjoy the multisport lifestyle as we know it.”
The schedule for Endurance Conference, as well as the list of presenters, is now available at enduranceconference.com. The conference will kick off with opening remarks from Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO, on Friday, June 5.
The event will continue on Saturday and Sunday, offering the chance for athletes of all levels to ‘connect with speakers, be inspired and gain insights on how to perform at the top levels of the sport.’
‘Endurance Conference, happening exclusively online, will not only avoid carbon emissions and support those who are still at home, but will also offset emissions of those who register by planting trees in partnership with One Tree Planted.’
“The aim is to raise awareness about the importance of respecting and caring for our environment, which provides a safe-haven for us to practice the sport we love,” said Juan Lopez Salaberry, founder of Endurance Conference.
“2020 can be a year where we can all come together for what’s important to us, the environment we live in and the people that make it special. It’s important for us to launch this event by supporting those that need us.”
With the hopes of maximizing fundraising, Endurance Conference is partnering with brands to provide value back to the community in exchange for tax-deductible donations toward the COVID-19 Relief Fund. For information about how to partner with the event, and other questions related to Endurance Conference, interested parties can email hellop[at]enduranceconference.com.
www.enduranceconference.com
www.usatriathlonfoundation.org
