The Subaru PTO Chase at Guelph, Ontario, has come about following a tie-up between local event organiser, Trisport Events, along with Subaru Canada and the Professional Triathlete Organization (PTO).
The pro race in Ontario is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 19th, kicking off the Guelph 1 event weekend. It follows the recent absence of racing opportunities for Canadian professional athletes, Olympians and up-and-coming pro triathletes.
The event will be a ‘chase’ format, that is, the pro women will start a pre-determined, calculated time before the pro men. The top three across the line – male or female – are on the winner’s podium.
The organisers add that the race course will be unique. Pros will complete a 1500m swim (2 x 750m loops) followed by a 45km bike (3 loops) and finish with a 12km run (3 loops).
The PTO is providing a US$15,000 prize purse awarding the top three males and females and then paying out bonuses to the top three overall finishers across the finish line.
Canadian pro athletes will be able to earn points towards qualifying for the Collins Cup and sharpen up for the Olympic Games and the World Triathlon Series events in Montreal and Edmonton in August. The event will be broadcast live on social media and a fully edited, short highlight version will be available online a few days after.
The Subaru Chase format originally began over 15 years ago at the Subaru Chase in Muskoka, Central Ontario.
The event weekend at Guelph Lake will also offer racing opportunities for age group athletes. The event itself is part of the Subaru Triathlon Series in Canada – with Subaru a long-standing sponsor of triathlon in the country.
