The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has announced the acquisition of a majority shareholding in Challenge Family from Y11 Sport & Media.
According to PTO, the move is intended to integrate the international Challenge Family series into the newly announced Triathlon World Tour.
The acquisition follows a goal shared by the PTO and World Triathlon to create a unified competition structure for the sport of triathlon. This strategy was developed in response to findings from a World Triathlon report, which suggested a shift from a technically driven model to a more commercially focused international ecosystem.
Sam Renouf CEO of the PTO said “This acquisition and investment into Challenge Family is a significant moment in the PTO journey, as we make the Triathlon World Tour a reality alongside our partners, World Triathlon, to create a single brand and competition structure that helps professionals, amateurs, fans, media, sponsors and other stakeholders more clearly understand and engage with our sport.”
The Triathlon World Tour is scheduled to launch in 2027. It will combine the T100 Triathlon World Tour and the World Triathlon Championship Series, which are to be rebranded as the T100 and T50 World Championship Series. Below these will sit two ‘Challenger’ series, designed to provide a qualification pathway for athletes.
The full schedule of more than 35 Challenge Family events in 2026 will continue to operate under the existing Challenge Family brand for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Jort Vlam CEO of Challenge Family said “Joining forces with the PTO marks an important evolution in that journey. This partnership allows us to preserve what makes Challenge Family unique while contributing to a unified, globally recognised series that strengthens the sport’s long–term growth, commercial sustainability and global visibility.”
The PTO aims to expand the combined tour to approximately 80 events from the 2027 season onwards. World Triathlon President Antonio Arimany noted that the expansion will provide more opportunities for athletes to compete on an international stage while unlocking greater commercial potential for stakeholders.
Further details regarding the branding and tiered competition structure of the Triathlon World Tour are expected to be unveiled during the first half of 2026.
Based in London, the PTO currently operates the T100 Triathlon World Tour, which is recognised by World Triathlon as the official world championship for long distance triathlon.
www.protriathletes.org
www.challenge-family.com
