The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has continued its support of pro athletes at selected international triathlon events. The organisation has today announced that it will provide a €15,000 prize purse for a Pushing Limits race taking place on September 20th in Germany.
The professional race is an Olympic distance triathlon and can be followed via the Pushing Limits YouTube channel.
The prize fund from PTO for athletes in Germany follows on from other events supported by the organisation in the USA, Canada, Switzerland and UK. PTO is also putting up a US$1 million prize purse for the middle distance pro athlete event at Challenge Daytona.
Sebastian Kienle, currently ranked world number 3 in the PTO World Rankings, said “After many setbacks in 2020 that led to race cancellations and terminations, all professional athletes are looking for opportunities to show their current performance.
“The Pushing Limits Race is a great opportunity to involve fellow professionals. We are all grateful that the PTO is supporting so many professionals in this difficult environment. First, they paid out over US$2,500,000 to PTO Professionals to help us survive, and now they are supporting our efforts to work with our local triathlon community by providing prize money.”
He continued, “The PTO is truly an athlete-led organisation that has the interest of professionals and the triathlon community as its core mission. With their help, triathlon fans at home will be able to follow a strong field of athletes and an exciting race in the livestream on September 20th.”
The media platform Pushing Limits is responsible for organising the event as well as bringing the athletes together and providing media support for the race.
Niclas Bock from Pushing Limits said “All we had to do was to contact the German professional athletes and inform them of this opportunity to race and most signed up immediately at the chance. The fact that the PTO have supported the race with a prize purse is the icing on the cake.”
The initial concept for this race was to offer German professional triathletes one of the few opportunities this season to compete against each other and showcase their current performance. A free livestream will aim to increase public interest in the race.
Niclas Bock continued, “The feedback from the PTO and the support to provide the best possible assistance to all professionals came with the same passion and sporting spirit that we had already experienced from the athletes.
“We can only overcome this crisis together by supporting each other. Therefore, we are very proud to cooperate with the PTO, our event sponsors Bestzeit and hep, the triathlon professionals and hopefully as many media partners as possible.”
Charles Adamo, Executive Chairman of PTO said “PTO Professionals from around the globe continue to unite and work with local organisers and members of our great triathlon community to support our sport in these difficult times. With travel restrictions severely limiting many international events, our PTO Professionals have joined with grassroots organisations like Pushing Limits that are truly triathlon’s lifeblood.
“Triathlon may be suffering but we are not defeated. PTO Professionals once again have put on display the fortitude and spirit for which our sport is so famous. The PTO is grateful for all the efforts of our PTO Professionals and groups like Pushing Limits, and for the opportunity to support them and the triathlon community in this challenging environment.”
www.protriathletes.org
www.pushing-limits.de
