The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has today announced that it will provide a €15,000 professional prize purse for the SKODA TriGames on 18th October 2020 at Mandelieu in the south of France.
The middle distance event is the latest event to benefit from a PTO prize fund injection. PTO has supported the Huntington Triathlon in Indiana and the Spanish Triathlon Championships this month. Two events in the UK – Outlaw X and the Helvellyn Triathlon – also recently received support from PTO. Other prize fund initiatives have benefited events in Germany, the USA, Canada and Switzerland.
PTO is also putting up a US$1 million prize purse for the middle distance pro athlete event at Challenge Daytona, currently scheduled to take place later this year.
Charles Adamo, Executive Chairman of PTO, said, “Once again our PTO Professionals have worked together to find opportunities to support local and regional races and our triathlon community. The PTO is pleased to support the SKODA TriGames with a €15,000 prize purse.
“We are grateful to Race Director Sylvain Lebret and for all the hard work required to have a race in this environment; and are and looking forward to a great day in the Cote d’Azur.”
PTO male athletes currently on the start list include double Olympic Champion, Alistair Brownlee, as well as Ruedi Wild, Tim Don, Andi Boecherer, Rudy Von Berg, Peter Heemeryck, Arnaud Guilloux and Romain Guillaume.
The women’s line-up includes current IRONMAN World Champion, Anne Haug, as well as Emma Bilham, Lucy Hall, French Long-Distance Champion, Jeanne Collonge, and middle-distance rising star, Justine Mathieux.
Sylvain Lebret, Director of SKODA TriGames said “It is a privilege to be able to hold our event in this climate. Our team has worked tirelessly to provide athletes with the opportunity to race safely. It will be great to see professionals and amateur athletes unite for a fantastic race.
“We are very excited about the partnership with PTO Professionals and the support of the PTO to add to a professional field at TriGames.”
PTO World number four, Anne Haug commented, “I am delighted to unite and help support the PTO, my fellow professional athletes and the great triathlon community. We are very grateful to have the chance to be able to race at the SKODA TriGames and for the opportunity to support the wider triathlon community in this challenging environment.
“It is a tribute to Sylvain Lebret and his TriGames team that they are able to host this event in what has been a very difficult year and I am delighted to be able to support it.”
Mandelieu is home to the Esterel National park in The Cote d’Azur and is a protected area of natural beauty. Following a 1.9 km swim from Robinson beach, athletes will embark on a technical 90km bike course between the sea and the mountains. Competitors complete the famous Tanneron climb twice on each 45-bike loop and finish their journey with a 4-loop, flat 20km run along the beach from Siange riverside to the Marina at Mandelieu.
Spaces are still available in the both professional and age-grouper fields. Professionals interested should contact Jane.hansom[at]protriathletes.org while age-groupers can register online.
www.protriathletes.org
www.trigames.fr
