NEWS

UPDATED - Take your marks. Go !!  What are you doing next year?

By Paul Groves | 06 Oct, 2015


Last weekend in Nice the ETU Executive Board met and drew together the race schedule for 2016. There are still a decision to be made of the venue for the Club Championships and there is room for Elite European Cups. There has been a tremendous response in support of hosting Junior European Cups and by the end of next week we hope to be able to provide you with the final calendar that will include the Championship events.

We all want to be able to plan ahead. This is important for the athletes, coaches, organisers and of course for the Technical Officials, so here we can show you the ETU Triathlon European Cup schedule.


Quarteira - This event is a firm favourite on the calendar. The tried and tested event with a tough sea swim and then the amazing bike course with its oh, so challenging climb, Quarteira is an event to shake off the winter blues and to give athletes a really good early-season test. Triathletes are really welcomed in the resort, which is close to Faro airport. Elites and juniors will love this race.

Melilla - It will be an exciting year ahead with some new venues coming onto the international stage. We are still waiting for final confirmation that Melilla will again feature after its really impressive debut this year.


Madrid, so very well-known to so many, is back and will provide a good early-season standard distance test.


Kupiškis - Lithuania has been a good place for Junior Athletes to race. Accommodation is very good and inexpensive; the course is a good challenge for them and the LOC has grown in confidence over recent years. A hidden gem no less.


Weert - Another solid event that has in the past been used to select athletes for the Youth Olympics. Easy to get to and with a very warm welcome.


Kitzbühel - Juniors get a chance to race the course ahead of the 2017 European Championships. One of the classic European Races in a spectacular setting. We can expect the Austrian Federation - Österreichischer Triathlonverband (ÖTRV) to really look after our juniors.


Holten - Last year this event went “Sprint” after the heatwave that hit the region. What an event ! A waiting list for volunteers and a town that opens its heart to our sport. A weekend of racing for Elite and Juniors and for the Elite, extra prize-money as it is a Premium European Cup.


Tartu - A trip to Estonia has to be on everyone’s “bucket list”. Tartu has provided us with winter triathlon events, including a Winter Triathlon Championship, as well as summer events. Again, we can expect great support for athletes.


Tiszaújváros - A pilgrimage to this City of Triathlon deep inside Hungary is a must for all athletes and coaches. A whole week of sporting activities with a finale of triathlon racing will feature the semi-final and final for the Junior European Cup.


Zagreb - A Balkan Championships in 2015 in a city-centre venue went down really well with all the athletes and in 2016, our Juniors will have the chance to race in this historic city.

Rotterdam - Ahead of the 2017 Grand Final, athletes will have the chance to race over the Sprint distance here. It will be flat. It will be fast. It will also be the ParaTri World Championships the same weekend.


Riga - With a huge media campaign this year Riga really raised the bar and with wonderful Baltic hospitality, Junior athletes will be able to race this great city centre course.

Eğirdir - This year saw the Turkish Triathlon Federation - Türkiye Triatlon Federasyonu put on a great festival of multisport with the triathlon as the finale. Tough conditions made the athletes work hard for their points but with Isparta airport (Süleyman Demirel), or Antalya relatively close, it is definitely worth racing here and there was something for everyone.


Tábor - Located in Southern Bohemia, south of Prague, Tábor has proven to be a popular event and welcomed back onto the calendar after an absence for a few years. City-centre; packed with atmosphere and so easy to get to. The Juniors loved this race in 2015!


Malmö - A welcome new arrival, after 4 years on the domestic calendar, the Swedish Federation - Svenska Triathlonförbundet have open the doors to athletes for the Sprint Distance. You will be guaranteed an excellent race with such an impressive backdrop.


Tønsberg - Moving up the coast but staying inside Scandinavia, it is good to see Norway sharing its secrets with us all. Norges Triathlonforbund will host a follow-up Sprint event the very next weekend. Easy to drive from Malmö and what a chance to take in the amazing scenery between races.


Karlovy Vary - The end of August sees athletes head to this truly magnificent spa city. A Premium European Cup, will provide extra incentive. If you have never raced here, then put this event into your diary but beware … this is the toughest bike course on the circuit !

Tulcea - As part of a three-day sports and cultural event the Romanian Triathlon Federation really put on a great show with this event in 2015. Come back in 2016 and enjoy the hospitality. So close to the Danube Delta; so much to see.


Bled - Despite the awful weather this year, this super-sprint event for Juniors was a huge success. For them all, the chance to race in such a location, with the views across the lake was a memory to cherish. Central Europe is so easy to get to and the welcome from the Triatlonska Zveza Slovenije was appreciated by all.

Constanta-Mamaia - The Romanian Federation did well last year with back to back events. 2016 sees them have a week off before they launch the Premium European Cup on the Black Sea Coast.


Alanya - 25 years old in 2015 and still a firm favourite for all! This event has such a beautiful swim and, after the flat bike, has a real kick to the run around the Old Port. Stay a few days more and enter the 5k Open Water Sea Swim that takes you around the headland. Enjoy some end of season sunshine and with events for the Elite and Juniors this is a great way for the season to draw to a close.

So, get your diary – plan your year and don’t forget, if you are Elite, then all the points you collect will count towards the 2016 ETU European Cup Final. If you are a Junior then the points you win will help your Federation.

Events are always subject to change but we will endeavour to let you know well in advance if there are any changes to this calendar and also if there are any additions.