Triathlon Canada

Triathlon in Canada

A history: Triathlon is a sport growing in popularity around the world. Race participation has increased by more than 300 per cent in the last five years. The sport has also experienced significant growth in Canada since the birth of Triathlon Canada 25 years ago. In fact, it is now one of the nation’s most rapidly growing sports – thanks in large part to Simon Whitfield’s Olympic gold and silver medals. The following is a historical timeline highlighting significant milestones in Triathlon Canada’s history:

1974

1981

1983

first recorded triathlon was in California on September 24, 1974, organized by the San Diego Track and Field Club at Mission Bay; first triathlon ever held in Canada was staged in Vancouver. Swimming in the ocean, biking around Stanley Park, and running down the seawall. The city later held the 2008 World Championships; first ultra distance Ironman event is staged in Canada with a field of 23 athletes. Mike Wagstaff, a New Zealander living in Banff, Alta., wins men’s race. Dianne Lynch is lone woman in the field;

Colin Jenkins executes role of domestique to help Simon Whitfield win Canada’s silver Olympic medal in Beijing, China

1992

Canada hosts the World Championships in Muskoka, Ont. Joanne Ritchie wins the silver medal, and Kirstie Otto claims the bronze;

1993

Carol Montgomery captures her first major international podium finish by finishing second at Duathlon World Championships;

World Championships in Hawaii. 1984

Les McDonald founded the Canadian Triathlon Federation (later Triathlon Canada), and serves as its first president until 1996; Sylviane Puntous wins back-to-back Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

1985

Triathlon Canada is born;

1988

IOC president, Juan Antonio Samaranch organizes a meeting in Stockholm, Sweden to discuss including triathlon in the Olympic Summer Games line-up;

1989

International Triathlon Union was founded at ITU Congress in Avignon, France;

1991

Canada begins in ITU’s first World Cup series – 11 events in eight countries; Joanne Ritchie wins gold medal at World Championships; Erik Myllymaki wins World Junior Championships in Gold Coast; Dan Murray becomes first Canadian man to win a World Cup in San Andreas

Joanne Ritchie wins bronze medal at World Championships; 1994

Triathlon is awarded full-medal status on the Olympic program during IOC Congress in Paris, France.

1995

Mark Bates, Kirstie Otto and Fiona Crib win medals at Pan American Games;

1996

Bill Hallett, becomes president of Triathlon Canada and holds the position until 2005. He has competed in 150 triathlons;

1997

Heather Fuhr wins Ironman World Championships;

1998

Peter Reid wins first of three Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. Reid also won in 2000 and 2003, won silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2004, and a bronze in 2005;

1999

Lori Bowden wins first of two Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. Bowden also won the 2003 race; Sharon Donnelly wins the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Simon Whitfield places second; Montreal hosts World Championships;

Triathlon Canada 2000

Triathlon in Canada

Triathlon makes it Olympic debut in Sydney, Australia. Canada’s Simon Whitfield wins gold in first-ever Olympic triathlon race;

2008

Carol Montgomery, Sharon Donnelly and Isabelle Baird join Whitfield at inaugural Olympics; 2001

2002

Carolyn Murray wins first World Cup in Richards Bay, South Africa; 2009

Simon Whitfield and Carol Montgomery win double gold for Canada at 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England; Jill Savege wins first of three World Cup races in Hamburg, Germany;

2003

Vancouver hosts World Championships;

Edmonton hosts World Championships; Simon Whitfield wins his first World Cup race in St. Anthony;

2010

Jill Savege wins Pan American Games

Simon Whitfield, Brent McMahon, Carol Montgomery, Jill Savege and Samantha McGlone represent Canada at 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens, Greece;

Stephen Holmes becomes third president of Triathlon Canada, is an active age group athlete who has participated in multiple World Championships events.

2006

Kirsten Sweetland wins World Junior Championships;

2007

Les McDonald becomes first inductee from triathlon into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame; Brent McMahon finishes second and Lauren Campbell (Groves) third at Pan American Games Kirsten Sweetland wins first World Cup in Richards Bay, South Africa;

Paula Findlay becomes first Canadian to win a World Championship Series event in London, England. Findlay goes on to win the following week in Kitzbuhel, Austria to post back-to-back titles; Paratriathlon added to the Paralympic program in Rio 2016

2011

Kyle Jones becomes first Canadian in 10 years to beat Simon Whitfield. Jones was fourth at the World Cup in Edmonton

2012

Simon Whitfield retires after competing in his fourth Olympic Summer Games

Kristine Chambers wins World Junior Duathlon Championships; 2005

ITU creates World Championship Series which consists of seven elite events around the world Simon Whitfield wins prestigious Hy-Vee Elite Cup in Des Moines, Iowa – earns $200,000 for victory;

Peter Reid and Lori Bowden become first couple to both win at Ironman World Championships in Hawaii; 2004

Colin Jenkins executes role of domestique to help Simon Whitfield win Canada’s second Olympic medal in a thrilling sprint to the silver in Beijing, China;

Kyle Jones and Lauren Groves capture their first World Cup victories in Edmonton; 2013

Ellen Pennock and Amelie Kretz wins silver and bronze respectively at Under-23 World Championships in London

2014

Kirsten Sweetland wins first career World Triathlon Series medal, claiming the bronze in Hamburg, Germany Kirsten Sweetland becomes third Canadian to podium at the Commonwealth Games, winning the silver medal Edmonton hosts Grand Final World Championships

Triathlon Canada

Triathlon in Canada

The Sport of Triathlon Triathlon is a continuous endurance activity comprised of three of the world’s more popular participation sports: swimming, cycling, and running. Participants first swim a set distance in a lake, ocean or a pool, then bike a set distance and finish with a run. The time between each activity – called the “transition” – is also timed as part of the race, creating a continuous contest. Introduced in the early 1970's in California, the sport traces its roots to the Hawaiian Ironman™ Triathlon held each year in Kona, Hawaii. The Ironman is a rigorous endurance test consisting of a 4 km swim, 180 km bike, and a marathon run (42.2 km). The sport has changed a great deal since the 1970's. Today, there are over six million athletes participating worldwide, an international federation, almost 100 national federations, and events held in a wide range of distances. The Olympic triathlon is contested over a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run. Triathlon is also on the agendas of the Commonwealth, Pan American, and Goodwill Games. The International Triathlon Union (ITU) holds an annual Triathlon World Championship and Long Distance Triathlon World Championship. In Canada, triathlons covering all distances are staged across the nation from grassroots charity events to international caliber races. In fact, in 1992 Canada hosted the World Championships in Muskoka, ON, while Drummondville, QC, Whistler, BC, and Corner Brook, NF have each hosted World Cup events. The annual Ironman™ Canada triathlon held in Penticton, BC, attracts 2,000 athletes each year and is one of the most renowned long distance races in the world. Triathlon Canada sanctions an annual Canadian Triathlon Championship that is the premier triathlon in Canada. It is estimated that nearly 50,000 Canadians compete in a triathlon each year.

The Triathlon Family There are five different events in the triathlon family: Triathlon, Duathlon, Aquathlon, Cross Triathlon and Winter Triathlon. Triathlon is an activity that combines swimming, cycling, and running in one event. The three sports are performed consecutively (one after the other) with no breaks. The portion of a triathlon where athletes change from one sport to the next is called a TRANSITION. It is often called the 4th leg of triathlon. Aquathlon is an activity that combines swimming and running in one event. The event has three segments: run, swim, run. There is one exception to this order; if the swim requires a wetsuit, then the event is changed to swim, run. Aquathlons are an excellent introduction to the sport of triathlon, particularly for junior athletes. Duathlon is an activity that combines running and cycling in one event. The event has three segments: run, bike, run. Duathlons provide an excellent option for people who are unable to swim, or who do not enjoy the water. Cross triathlon is an activity that combines swimming, mountain biking and trail running in one event. These events take place in the countryside, where mountainous and rugged terrain can be found. Cross Triathlon provides a fun and challenging opportunity for triathletes to experience a completely different race environment and atmosphere. Winter triathlon is an activity that combines running, mountain biking, and cross country (XC) skiing. These events are ideal for locations with colder climates and long winters. Winter triathlons also offer a perfect opportunity for athletes to cross train and maintain fitness during the winter.

Triathlon in Canada

Triathlon Canada

Race Distances Race distances are specified as follows: CLASSIFICATION

SWIM

BIKE

RUN

Super Sprint Sprint Triathlon Demi - Ironman Longue Distance IronmanMC

375 m 750 m 1 500 m 2 000 m 3 000 m 3 800 m

10 km 20 km 40 km 90 km 120 km 180 km

2.5 km 5 km 10 km 21 km 30 km 42.2 km

Organization and governing bodies The sport is governed worldwide by the International Triathlon Union (ITU). The ITU was formed in 1989 and consists of recognized National Triathlon Federations (NF’s). There are currently more than 100 NF’s who are full members of the ITU. Working together under the guidance of Olympic solidarity, the ITU and member NF’s also provide the resources for athletes to reach international and Olympic levels of competition. *ITU is not affiliated in any way with Ironman™ which is a private organization.

For Kids of Steel® (KOS) races, the distances are substantially shorter and vary according to age of the athlete. The following distances are MAXIMUM distances that athletes will complete in each age division. Ages are determined as of December 31 of the year of competition. Age Divisions

Maximum Race Distances (Swim / bike / run)

7 years & under 8-9 years 10-11 years 12 -13 years 14 -15 years 16-19 years 18-19 years

50 m / 1,5 km / 500 m 100 m / 5 km / 1,5 km 150 m / 10 km / 2 km 300 m / 15 km / 3 km 500 m / 15 km / 4 km 750 m / 20 km / 5 km 1 500 m / 40 km / 10 km

Triathlon Canada Triathlon Canada is the sole governing body for the sports of triathlon and duathlon in Canada. Triathlon Canada is made up of ten Provincial Sports Organizations for Triathlon (PSOs). Triathlon Canada is officially recognized by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and is a member of the International Triathlon Union. The governing bodies of triathlon are ultimately responsible for sport development from grassroots, or community, levels to high performance and Olympic levels. Inclusion, gender equity, solidarity, and harmony are some of the guiding principles these organizations follow.

Triathlon in Canada

Triathlon Canada Race Categories

The triathlon family of events has something to offer everyone. Athletes, referred to as triathletes, can be people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Triathlon has categories for athletes aged five to beyond 90, for Para athletes, and for recreational or elite competitors. In triathlon there are two distinct areas of competition: Elite and Age Group.

Age group competition This form of competition enables competitors to compete at their individual level and against people of the same age. In age group competition, participants primarily compete for the love of the sport and also to challenge

Elite competition

themselves while enjoying the thrill of participation and competition.

Elite athletes are selected by national triathlon federations to represent their country at elite competitions, such as World Championships, World Cups, Continental Championships and ITU World Ranking Points Events.

Age group competition is "nondrafting," meaning that competitors, must

Elite competition is characterized by "draft legal" cycling. This means competitors may in age group competition there is no draft legal cycling. Elite competition has three categories:

Age group competition is conducted in five year age groupings, usually

• Elite Men & Women (Open Competition) • Under 23 Elite Men & Women • Junior Elite Men & Women (16¬19 yrs)

95 if there are competitors.

component unless they are overtaking. (See rules for more details on ‘drafting’)

beginning at the 16 -19 junior category. For example: 20 -24 years, 25- 29 years, 30-34 years … and so on through to 90 -

With small events or events in developing areas or countries, age groupings

The Elite & Under 23 Elite categories race the standard Olympic distance, while Junior Category Elite Athletes race the sprint

distance.

maintain a specified distance from other participants during the cycle

may cover ten years, such as 20 29, 30 39 and so on. Generally, age group competitors compete for prizes, while award money is offered in the elite categories.

Philosophy and Benefits of Triathlon Triathlon is not just a sport; it’s a way of life. Training and a healthy lifestyle become part of a triathlete’s everyday routine and this usually connects them socially with like-minded people. It is the responsibility of everyone in triathlon to ensure that all participants, whether they are competitors, officials, coaches, or administrators, conduct themselves in a dignified and professional manner that reflects the true spirit of the sport. The sport of triathlon offers the opportunity for both children and adults to develop physically, emotionally, and socially by fostering attributes such as:

• • • • • • • •

healthy living habits proper nutrition adequate rest physical activity friends social support comradeship positive self image

• • • • • • •

self-confidence sportsmanship improved health competitiveness self reliance self improvement achievement

Triathlon philosophy Triathlon emphasizes respect for all people. It does not matter if you are first, last, or in the middle. In multisport events, everyone who makes the effort to reach the finish line is a winner. People from different countries, cultures, and regions compete together and learn to honour all people, worldwide. The triathlon family of events is inclusive. Anyone can participate in a multisport event. Any type of equipment is acceptable, as long as it is safe. For example, many children, youth, and novice adults use mountain bikes or commuting bikes for the cycle component.