International Triathlon Union – Okanagan city cements its reputation as a premier multisport destination

 

Penticton, B.C., March 21, 2016 – Penticton, B.C. (Canada) has won a bid to host the first ever ITU Multisport World Championships Festival. The 10-day event, to be held in August 2017, will see 5,000 athletes compete in four separate World Championships: duathlon, aquathlon, cross triathlon and the coveted global title for long-distance triathlon.

 

“There is no better place than Penticton for a multisport championship on this scale,” said Michael Brown, Executive Director, Penticton 2017. “The Okanagan has been hosting world-class triathlons for more than 30 years, and this event will cement the region’s reputation as a premier global destination for training and racing.”

 

The international significance of Penticton 2017 means the region will welcome up to 5,000 athletes, thousands of spectators, media and members of the global triathlon family. The economic benefit to the region is expected to be in the millions. Brown’s team is working on a list of events that the community can participate in, and hopes to enlist the famous Penticton Volunteer Army to assist with the event (s).

 

“Penticton is special because of the long history of triathlon with the community.  The people and the tradition of volunteerism in and support of sport,” says Les Pereira, President of Triathlon Canada. “We are very proud to be the first country to host this event. The sport of triathlon has its roots deeply entrenched in North America and much of it’s soul is in Canada.”

 

The four world championship races were previously hosted in separate cities on different dates; however, the International Triathlon Union – the sport’s governing body – has brought all disciplines into a single venue to create a more exciting event.

 

 “For the first time, athletes can compete in more than one Multisport World Championship race in one convenient location, which is an idea we’ve had a great response to both from cities and from age group athletes,” said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado. “Penticton will set the stage for the future of the event. We are very confident in the team’s ability to deliver an exceptional experience that will set the bar of this festival very high.”

 

Michael Brown also owns and organizes the Challenge Penticton triathlon each year. This means the local organizing team is familiar with the area, can leverage existing relationships and partnerships, and can use this year’s Challenge Penticton as a test event for the 2017 festival.

 

For more information about Penticton 2017 World Multisport Championships Festival, head to penticton2017.com.

 

About Penticton 2017 ITU World Multisport Championships Festival
Penticton 2017 looks to building on the region’s rich history of long-distance triathlon. The 10-day event will see 4,000 athletes from across the globe compete in four niche multisport events; long-distance Triathlon, Cross Triathlon, Duathlon and Aquathlon. In addition to thousands of the world’s best triathletes, the event will also attract thousands of spectators, national officials, triathlon media and members of the global triathlon family. The city of Penticton will enjoy an economic boost as athletes visit the region to train in the weeks and months leading up to the race. Penticton 2017 is owned and organized by Michael Brown and is organized by the Challenge Penticton team, an event known for providing superior athlete experiences and memorable events.

 

About the International Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union is the world governing body for the Olympic sport of Triathlon and all related Multisport disciplines including Duathlon, Aquathlon, Cross Triathlon and Winter Triathlon. ITU was founded in 1989 at the first ITU Congress in Avignon, France. It has maintained its headquarters in Vancouver, Canada since then and also has offices in Lausanne, Switzerland and Madrid, Spain. It now has 169 affiliated National Federations on five continents and is the youngest International Federation in the Olympic Games. Triathlon was awarded Olympic Games status in 1994 and made its Olympic debut in Sydney 2000. Triathlon is also featured in the Asian Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games. Paratriathlon was accepted into the Paralympic Games in 2010 and will make its Paralympic debut in Rio 2016. ITU is proudly committed to supporting the development of the sport worldwide through strong relationships with continental and national federations, working with its partners to offer a balanced sport development programme from grassroots to a high-performance level. For more information, visit:www.triathlon.org

 

 

Media contact:

Penticton 2017:                         Darren Hailes, +1-587-891-6764, info@darrenhailes.com

International Triathlon Union:   Erin Greene, +34 645 21 6509, erin.greene@triathlon.org

City of Penticton:                      Sharon Thompson +1-250-490-2406 Sharon.Thompson@penticton.ca