USA Triathlon (USAT) has announced that the rescheduled 2020 Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships will be held Sunday, September 20, in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The championships will be part of the Ron Jon Cocoa Beach Triathlon hosted by Smooth Running.
The championship event was originally scheduled to take place as part of the Legacy Triathlon in Long Beach, California, on July 18, but the event was cancelled for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
USAT notes that the rescheduled Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships are contingent upon the City of Cocoa Beach continuing to allow large-scale events by the rescheduled race date of September 20.
“Like most multisport athletes nationwide, our elite paratriathletes have seen a majority of their race season cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19 — and for some, this included the Tokyo Paralympic Games,” said Amanda Duke Boulet, Paralympic Program Director at USA Triathlon.
“We are pleased to partner with Smooth Running to host the rescheduled Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships in Cocoa Beach, and to give our athletes the chance to put all of their dedicated training to the test this fall.”
“Florida’s Space Coast looks forward to welcoming the nation’s top paratriathletes to Cocoa Beach,” said Mitch Varnes, Ron Jon Cocoa Beach Triathlon Race Director and owner of race production company Smooth Running.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to host the Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships and proud to showcase Cocoa Beach for an awesome weekend of racing, and to give the chance for athletes to have a new opportunity to chase national titles.”
At the rescheduled nationals, paratriathletes will cover a protected 0.25-mile swim in the Banana River adjacent to the Cocoa Beach Country Club. This is followed by a 12.5-mile flat out-and-back bike along coastal highway A1A before finishing with a 3.1km run through the riverfront Cocoa Beach Golf Course.
Athletes wishing to compete at the 2020 Toyota USA Paratriathlon Nationals must be officially classified in a paratriathlon sport class and must meet the amended qualification standards, which were published on June 11 and can be found at usatriathlon.org.
Individuals who are not classified or who do not meet the qualification standards may choose to race in the PC Open Division, which does not require qualification. A National Classification opportunity will be offered in Cocoa Beach prior to the event.
In addition to chasing national titles, athletes competing at the 2020 Toyota USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Championships also have the opportunity to qualify for the Toyota US Paratriathlon Development Team Program, designed to identify and develop athletic potential leading into the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Prior to being selected as the host city for the rescheduled 2020 Paratriathlon National Championships, the Ron Jon Cocoa Beach Triathlon was named the 2020 Southeast Paratriathlon Regional Championship. The event, which also features age-group triathlon and duathlon races and a relay division, has twice been named as a finalist for the Triathlon Business International (TBI) ‘Best First Timer’s Race’ award.
www.usatriathlon.org/covid-19
www.usatriathlon.org/safe-return
