Super League Triathlon will be an experience like no other for triathletes.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e a triathlete, and you have been in this sport for 25 years, you have never done a race like this before,鈥� said Michael Brown, executive director of MB Events, the sport management company delivering Super League Penticton. 鈥淚t鈥檚 Penticton. Register, and we will blow you away with what鈥檚 going to happen on that race. You鈥檙e going to be shoulder-to-shoulder and watching Olympians and world champions.鈥�
MB Events, the local organizers of Challenge Penticton and the ITU World Championship, have announced the new series coming to Penticton Aug. 17 to 19, replacing Challenge Penticton.
MB Events is bringing the only official Golden Qualifier of the to race in the Americans next year in a three-day format featuring both age group and professional athletes.
The Super League Triathlon is a shorter, faster race format for big prize money in a closed league series. The events are held on spectator friendly courses and broadcasted to show the personalities of athletes. The first event was held last year in Australia. Jersey, in the Channel Islands off the cost of England, is the other location where the event was held in September.
鈥淲e鈥檙e extremely excited to continue the amazing triathlon history in Penticton by bringing this event to B.C. next summer,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淭he premier brand Super League, and its exciting new triathlon format, will bring a fresh perspective for athletes and spectators alike. It鈥檚 incredibly special that age group athletes will be able to race the same race course as pro athletes on the same day.鈥�
Brown said this is the highest end of professional racing. Brown learned of the league through 鈥渢he grape vine鈥� that it was starting in Hamilton Island and he was looking at different options for Penticton.
鈥淚 had a prior relationship with Trent Taylor (Super League Triathlon鈥檚 chief marketing officer) and a couple of those Super League guys, through Challenge Family,鈥� said Brown, who will complete his current two-year licence with the City of Penticton with this new race. 鈥淲e just started talking about the possibilities in Penticton. Over the last five months, with a lot of manoeuvering and a lot of help from everybody, including Challenge Family, by allowing us to mutually end our agreement with them, we were able to bring this event to Penticton.
鈥淭riathlon as a sport is a young sport, but it hasn鈥檛 really evolved outside of swim, bike, run for a long time,鈥� continued Brown. 鈥淚 think this gives athletes something new. Excites them a little bit.鈥�
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鈥淚 had the opportunity to race in Penticton in 2012 and Penticton provided everything I had always heard of, the passion of the community and volunteers is what makes Penticton one of triathlon鈥檚 greatest venues. We are excited about the opportunity to bring Super League Triathlon to Canada and we can鈥檛 think of a location more deserving than Penticton B.C,鈥� said Chris McCormack, two-time Ironman world champion and ITU world champion, and co-founder of Super League.
Pro athletes from all disciplines will have the opportunity to earn direct qualification into the Super League Triathlon Championship series. The top four pro male and pro female finishers will earn their golden ticket and immediate qualification for the championship series including all the perks that come with Super League Triathlon status.
Friday and Saturday mass participation age group racing will feature triathlon Equalizer events and Sunday will feature an Enduro event. The pro race will be similar to the age group race and finalized in the coming months. Brown added that Friday鈥檚 race features a standalone time trial, similar to the Tour de France, but a short distance. The Equalizer features a 300 metre swim, two-kilometre run and six-km bike that changes in order of what athletes do.
Brown notes that age group athletes will compete in the morning and have a chance to spectate pro athletes competing on the same course in the afternoon. Age group registration will open Nov. 1 and all information can be found on the event website starting on Oct. 24.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see our vision come to life and this wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without the support of a very passionate and committed team and partners. Super League Triathlon put us on the endurance sport map in 2017 and we look forward to building on our successes for 2018,鈥� said Michael D鈥橦ulst, co-founder of Super League Triathlon.
Brown said he hopes that it works out well and that he would obviously love to extend the series here. Brown added there is hope to expand the Super League brand in North America. Brown expects there won鈥檛 be any problem attracting 100 pros and 1,000 age group athletes.
