Colorado Springs to Host USA Triathlon Youth National Championship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 30, 2008) -- USA Triathlon anticipates more than 200 youth and junior triathletes will travel to Colorado Springs to compete in the Youth and Youth and Junior Elite National Championships on Saturday, August 9.

Many of the participants are from Colorado, so there wil be a real local feel to the event.

All races will be held in and around Memorial Park in Downtown Colorado Springs, with the swim taking place in Prospect Lake.

The Youth amateur race begins at 8 a.m., and is open to children aged 7-15, with the following designated race distances:

7-10-year-olds: 100m swim, 5K bike, and 1K run
11-15-year-olds: 200m swim, 10K bike, 2K run

Youth elites (aged 13-15) will race at 10 a.m., followed by the Junior elites (aged 16-19) at 12:30 p.m. Each of these races will be draft-legal events with the following race distances:

Youth Elites: 375m swim, 10K bike, 2.5K run
Junior Elites: 750m swim, 20K bike, 5K run

Colorado Springs boasts a number of kid and family- friendly activities as the home of the Olympic Training Center and one of America's most famous mountains - Pikes Peak. Kids and their families will have the opportunity to tour the U.S. Olympic Training Center and experience many more of Colorado Springs' unique qualities.

"Colorado Springs was chosen to host this event because not only is it a great locale with amazing support from the city and local authorities, but it's also the epicenter for everything related to the Olympics," said USA Triathlon National Events Director Jeff Dyrek. "Being in Colorado Springs provides these young, aspiring triathletes with the opportunity to visit the Olympic Training Center, where many of their idols have trained. The Olympics start August 8th and on that day, the kids will be a part of the Olympic experience as they pick up their race packets at the U.S. Olympic Training Center."

Current participant lists are posted on the Youth National Championship pages at the US A Triathlon website. Click on the links on the left of the page for schedules and race details for each event.

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the national governing body for triathlon - the fastest growing sport in the U.S. - as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 2,300 races and connects with more than 100,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games, and the Olympic Games.

Website: http://triathlon.teamusa.org