Europe Triathlon

2016 is underway. Medals have been won. Old friendships renewed and new acquaintances made. Triathletes, duathletes, coaches, team managers, friends and families – all are planning their year ahead.

Our schedule has been finalised but as ever, we cannot control the weather. Two races have already been cancelled due to exceptionally warm weather in Spain – the snow just could not survive in temperatures of +14C.

But the good news is that we have some additional events for you. Click here for the most up-to-date programme of events.

Good news for the junior athletes. You have an extra race this year and it will be held alongside the U23 European Championships in Burgas. This is a golden opportunity for our emerging young athletes to see what racing is like in the next category, especially with the U23 mixed team relay. For anyone who has been fortunate enough to see this format, it truly is the most exciting show that our sport can offer.

In this 2016 Olympic year ETU is very much aware that only a select few will be going to Rio. Those who are not going should not be forgotten. They are the athletes who regularly support our races and it is only right that they are rewarded for their hard work and loyalty. The ETU Executive Board has agreed to increase the prize-fund this year for those who race throughout the season and so, at our end of season race, this bumper pay-out can be collected by the top athletes.

Where will this race be?

Well, for those who can remember way back, the traditional end of season race took place in Alanya. 2016 will again see this ever so popular race close our calendar and 2016 will see Alanya offer a great experience again to the athletes, coaches, managers and their families. The prize-money distribution will be a massive €40,000 but, to have a chance for that big pay-out, the athlete must race in Alanya. The points that are collected throughout the year at races all around the region and it will be the athlete with the highest score who wins the biggest purse.

2015 finished with an exciting battle amongst the men and a wonderful comeback from a horrific crash for the women, with Uxío Abuín Ares, ESP and Yuliya Yelistratova, UKR taking the titles in a thrilling finale in Sochi.

Alanya is also our final ETU Junior European Cup and it will be here that the Junior Rankings will also be decided. The ETU Executive Board has agreed that a further €10,000 will be available for the junior athletes and, as in the past, this money will be distributed to the Federations according to the ranking results.

2015 Rankings

• Women
• Men
• Juniors

We also have great news for those of you who enjoy racing “off-road”. The growth of “cross-Tri” and “Cross-Duathlon” events has grown steadily over the past years. Following on from the work with TNatura we can announce that this year there will again be an ETU Cross Triathlon European Championships and that 2016 will see us working with Xterra with the Championships event taking place in Switzerland. Note your diary for 25th June.

“This is very good news for XTERRA Switzerland,” exclaimed race organizer Laurent Ardiet.  “This means the various titles of European champion will be awarded right here at Vallée de Joux, providing yet another reason for athletes from across Europe to participate in this great event.”

ETU President, Renato Bertrandi, “I am very pleased to see that ETU is continuing with the growth of Cross Triathlon. As we go ‘off-road’ I see that more and more interest is developing.
Our sport is a responsible one and the impact created by our ‘cross’ events is minimal but the impression is to the max! By incorporating our ETU European Championships into a fully-established event such as the 2016 XTERRA Switzerland we can be assured top-quality delivery and the athletes can be assured a top-quality race. Vallée de Joux, in the Jura Mountains is a beautiful location. It is the first time that we have worked together in this way and I am sure this is a good move for our athletes.”

Within ETU we have very strong regional groups. For many years now the Balkan countries have held events to decide their champions and now their event has become a firm fixture on the international calendar. The race is open to any athlete and we have seen non-European athletes racing in the hope of collecting valuable points. They also go away with a great insight into areas of Europe that they might not have visited if it were not for our sport.

The Mediterranean federations have also worked together to bring their championships up to a very high level and we are delighted that the Nordic countries have joined in with the spirit of regional championships and that this year we will also see the Nordic federations decide just who is best.

Each of these races will be defined as a European Cup. So get out your diaries and start making plans.

• The Balkan Championships will be taking place in Olimp, Romania on 11th June.
• The Mediterranean Championships will take place in Altafulla, Spain on 16th July.
• The Nordic Championships, over the Sprint Distance, will take place in an old favourite location, Fredericia, Denmark on 27th and 28th August.

Updated documents for you.

We have some important documents for you that are now available from the ETU Website, located in “About” – “Downloads”.

Please check this page out and ensure that you are up to date about Athlete Prize-Money claim forms and Qualification Criteria for the European Championships.

This is also the time of year that ETU opens bids from National Federations, Host Cities and Event Local Organising Committees who are interested in holding major events. One development, in line with the ITU move.

2017 will see the very first of these festivals take place. The chosen city is in Canada and Penticton will be the host city. The inaugural championship event will see Duathlon, Aquathlon, Cross Triathlon and Long Distance Triathlon World Championship races contested over a ten-day celebration.

“Combining all of these World Championship events into one festival will serve to further strengthen and evolve them, and will be very attractive to cities wishing to attract thousands of active visitors to its city,” ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado said. “The post-Olympic year is an ideal time to launch the festival, as triathlon and paratriathlon will again generate a massive interest in the multisport lifestyle.”

The benefits to any city that hosts such an event is immense. Athletes participating will book hotels, use local restaurants and retail outlets. Any athlete coming to the festival can choose to participate in one or more events and the infrastructure for one race can be used for the others. It will require logistic expertise and a dedicated team, or indeed teams, of officials and volunteers but it will really showcase the varied elements that go to make up our sporting portfolio.

ETU President Renato Bertrandi, “With this new and exciting development taking place in Penticton, Canada in 2017, I was pleased that the 2019 bid had gone to Pontevedra, Spain. We have had many successful races there and the LOC and Spanish Triathlon Federation have shown that they can host both triathlon and duathlon events in one location. With this in mind, the ETU Executive Board has agreed to open bids for our own Multisport European Championships Festival in 2018. We aim to offer athletes, both Age Group and Elite, the opportunity to prove themselves over a variety of events and distances at a festival that potentially will be more economical than making several trips a year. We would hope to see participation in each of the events increase, with the obvious benefit to the LOC and to the sponsors. We are confident that this initiative will be successful and are looking to include the same event in years to come. Based upon the success of the 2018 event, this format will provide a golden opportunity for innovative race organisation by National Federations, Host Cities and commercial and private Organisers.”

The bidding document is a detailed one that sets out the ETU’s objectives, especially the idea that a 10-day multisport festival should be not only a sporting competition but also a wonderful opportunity for competition and sport development from grassroots to the Elite level. Within our sport the concept of such a pathway is unique. No other sport can boast of major competitions such as ours, where athletes from 5 to 95 can compete. The entire event will be a visual spectacle that will inspire, motivate and attract the attention of TV and sponsors.
If you are attracted to this idea, please download the document here.

All other biddding documents can be downloaded from the ETU Website - see link above.