Posted: June 3, 2006

Triathlon: Kansas City To Host Triathlon National Championship

Colorado Springs, Colorado (June 2, 2006) – For three days in July, Kansas City, Missouri will serve as home to close to 1,400 athletes taking part in one of the premier events for USA Triathlon: the 2006 Age Group Triathlon National Championship.

The Olympic distance triathlon – 1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run – is scheduled for Saturday, July 8 at 8 a.m. amid the rolling hills and grasslands around Smithville Lake, just 17 miles from downtown Kansas City.

The days leading up to the race will include a number of other activities, including the Aquathlon National Championship at Smithville Lake on Thursday, July 6 at 3 p.m. Aquathlon features a 2.5k run, a 750m swim, and a 2.5k run.

Both the Aquathlon and Triathlon National Championships will serve as qualifiers for the 2006 International Triathlon Union Age Group World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, September 2-3. The top 16 finishers in each age group will qualify.

“These are premier events for USAT age group athletes. They will be highly competitive; the best of the best will be there,” said USAT National Events Director Jeff Dyrek. “We will crown our national champions and field our Team USA to take on the rest of the world at the World Championships in Switzerland.”

Also included in the festivities are several social events held at the Kansas City Airport Marriott on Friday, July 7, including the Women’s Commission Breakfast at 8 a.m. and a Vendor and Sponsor Expo from noon to 7 p.m., which will include the unveiling of USA Triathlon’s new line of branded merchandise.

Inside Triathlon Magazine will also host a panel discussion on Friday afternoon with several athletes and coaches who have competed in national and world championship events. They will share information that may prove helpful for athletes preparing for Saturday’s race.

The traditional Pasta Dinner will close out Friday’s events at 5 p.m.

Following Saturday’s race, the USA Triathlon Age Group Commission will hold its annual Town Meeting where USAT officials will talk with athletes and answer questions. Saturday night will feature the Awards Reception and Dinner and the Race Post Party at the Airport Marriott. Athletes who qualify for the World Championship must be at the awards ceremony to secure their spot on Team USA.

Another component of the weekend will be a unique tie-in to the Shawnee Mission Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, July 9. Competitors in Saturday’s National Championship can team with someone competing in the Shawnee event and the fastest combined time will win two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the continental U.S.

Volunteers are still needed for the race. If you will be in the area and would like to volunteer, please contact Mark Livesay of Ultramax Events at 573-443-1471 or mark@ultramaxtri.co.

Registration is filling fast. Complete information about the Championships, including packet pickup and equipment check-in times, is available at: USATriathlon.org.

USA Triathlon is the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 1,800 races and connects with more than 60,000 members each year, making it the largest multi-sport organization in the world.

Comment on this story.

Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest