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Today’s the day: ITU Bid is submitted to IOC for inclusion of Mixed Relays into Olympic Schedule

By Paul Groves | 05 May, 2017

Mixed Team Relays.

Have you ever watched one?

Have you raced as part of one?

For many, many years now, ETU has held mixed team relay events as part of its annual celebrations of swim, bike, run, or run, bike, ski and of course for run, bike, run.

The course gets shortened, the hand-over area becomes the focal point of the race until the final run, when the team members move to the finish area and that is when the atmosphere really begins to buzz.

Working in the very heart of our sport does have its advantages and being present during one of the many relays must rank amongst the best. I am sure that many of us were hoping to see the Mixed Relay format last year in Rio. It is certainly “TV-friendly” and fits firmly into the “fast and furious” spectacle that increasingly the TV audiences appear to demand.

ETU is not only backing the Mixed Team Relay format but also now fully backing the Triathlon Clubs Championships, which are raced using the Mixed Relay format. This great race returns to the calendar at the end of July with the 2017 Banyoles ETU Triathlon Clubs European Championships.

So, with the recent announcements from ITU about the bidding process for inclusion of this exciting format in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and, with the bid document being submitted by ITU to the IOC today (Friday, 5th May), ETU joins in with the rest of the triathlon world in telling you all to share the news with friends, family, employers and anyone who will listen.

The decision takes place on 9 July, so keep those fingers crossed and just for you, a selection of relay photos to get you in the mood.


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