XXXIV World Triathlon Congress

Virtual

Multisport �Committee Report

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The Committee

Committee Chair

Brian Hinton

�Committee Members

Alicia Garcia - Secretary

Ahmed Allouch 

Diane Henderson

Jianqui Qin

Melody Tan

Tim Yount

Antonio Alvarez, Bernard St Jean– World Triathlon Board Liaison

Stéfane Mauris – World Triathlon Staff

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What is Multisport

• Long, Middle Distance Triathlon
• Duathlon (sprint, standard, middle and long distance)
• Aquathlon (swim, run, and run, swim, run)
• Aquabike (swim/bike)
• Explore Aquabike options at Standard or Sprint Championships
• Cross Triathlon (off road swim, bike, run)
• Cross Duathlon (off road run, bike, run)
• Winter Triathlon and Duathlon

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World Triathlon Multisport Championships

Athletes’ participation

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+ 20%

Between 2017 and 2019

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+ 45%

Between 2017 and 2025

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World Triathlon Multisport Championship

NFs participation

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+ 43%

Between 2017 and 2019

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5

37

45

53

Future MS Event Experiences

• Create a Festival experience Guide to complement the current Event Organiser Guide. Consistency is key year to year
• Adopt a process to evaluate other MS formats that engage more and younger participants and supporters, and family members to support the Festival experience
• Seek cooperation of other Committees and Commissions
• Make it easier for athletes to compete in more than one race
• Build the MS Legend status and encourage NF’s to explore selection policies that facilitate competing in four races

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General Goals

1. Ongoing review of the Multisport World Championships (Pontevedra, Fyn and Penticton, etc.) to understand drivers to participation
2. Build the Multisport World Championship Festival to 4500 athletes by 2025 (allow for dip in 2021 and 2022)
1. Increase age-group and elite entry numbers
2. Increase female participation
3. Review disciplines which are underrepresented relative to others on the event program
4. Increase NF’s from 44 to 55 by 2025
3. Build the Festival components to deliver a consistent experience year to year
4. Add a Mixed Team Relay to the program by 2024
5. Achieve 4 MS Continental Championships by 2025
6. Strategies to gain Winter Olympic status

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General Goals – cont.

7. Working with Coaches Committee to increase Junior and U23 participation

8. Detailed data analysis over the years 2013 to 2019, using 2019 as a base year

• Age Group by Event by region and NF
• Set goals and strategies for the less well attended events

9. Create a MS Marketing and Communications �Plan around the MS World Championships with emphasis on the Festival element, and athlete experience stories

• Planning Assistance to LOCs 
• Athlete FAQs

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Strategy for the Quadrennial 2022-2025

Multisport Festival

• Build on growth of MS Festivals at World, Continent and Federation levels
• Avoid holding MS Continental Championship and MS World Championship in that same region
• Transfer of Knowledge from LOCs to World Triathlon stakeholders and future host organizers for review.
• Event Operations
• Festival look and feel
• Develop an athlete approach to each Multisport discipline through athlete surveys and other broad sport participation research
• Review measurable aspects of the festival for future editions for all stakeholders.
• Post event NF surveys
• Athlete satisfaction
• Media & Broadcasting 
• Event execution
• Impact in the region/host city
• Scope of Communications between host, NFs and athletes

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The Multisport Disciplines

There is a need to find ways to attract more athletes but especially younger athletes to the championships

• Aquathlon – 
• Junior and U23 development opportunities. 
• Develop plans to further develop the Aquathlon Championships as an event in its own right.
• Build on aquathlon as pathway for junior development.
• Regional youth recruitment
• athlete pathways and interest
• Continued inclusion in the World Beach Games
• Consider other Aquathlon variations such as run/swim/run
• Duathlon – Sprint, Standard, Middle and Long
• Develop plans to grow elite and age group participation
• Retain Duathlon in World Games

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The Multisport Disciplines

• Cross Triathlon and Duathlon – 
• Is the name right, should it be more descriptive with Off Road Triathlon for example?
• Huge opportunity for development with a series of events
• Cross Duathlon to be included in the World Championships festival.
• Add Cross Triathlon and Duathlon rankings as a promotional tool
• Consider a MOU working Group with Commercial Event Organiser
• Aquabike – 
• Distances currently tied to the long-distance triathlon championships, but many nations have Aquabike associated to short events too
• Growth plans to introduce Aquabike at Sprint &/or Standard World Championships
• Long Distance Triathlon – 
• Review race distances, 
• Relationships with commercial event organisers
• Other formats
• Exploring new disciplines / formats

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Winter Triathlon

The development of Winter Triathlon will work on the following to help stimulate that growth.�

• Implementation of the working group proposals.
• Raise the profile of our Winter Triathlon World Championships to promote the events.
• Potential to work with the Continental confederations to develop a series.
• Investigate the cross over between the winter triathletes and cross triathletes and how we can facilitate this cross fertilisation.
• Organise a winter triathlon world championship circuit, with the aim of creating a sustainable, quality product. Establish a circuit with television coverage
• Then propose the inclusion of Winter Triathlon in the Winter Olympics. 

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Winter Triathlon & Duathlon

Working Group Report to Board

Primary proposals

• The race distances are recommended to be revised with an emphasis on multi-lap courses to provide an exciting, fast and furious race scene for athletes, spectators and TV/Streaming.
• Age-group: Addition of one AG duathlon event and increase distance to make the trip worthwhile and create a “festival” atmosphere.
• Have yearly World and Continental Championships and increase the number of National Championships.
• Discuss not holding Continental Championships in the Continent of the World Championships
• Promote partnerships for organising events.

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Table of 2021 Events and

known future MS events

2021 events

World Triathlon Winter Championships Andorra

World Triathlon long distance Triathlon/ Aquabike Championships Almere-Amsterdam

World Triathlon / Powerman long distance Duathlon Championships Zofingen

World Triathlon Duathlon Championships Aviles [30-31 October]

World Triathlon Cross/Aquathlon Championships El Anillo [6-7 November]

Future events (subject to confirmation/changes)

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2022

World Triathlon Winter Championships – 3-6 Feb, Andorra

World Triathlon Middle distance Duathlon Championships – �7-8 May, Viborg (DK)

World Games – Duathlon (9-10 July in Birmingham, AL, USA)

World Triathlon Multisport Championships – tba

World Triathlon Long distance Duathlon Championships - tba

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2023

World Triathlon Multisport World Championships Ibiza

World Beach Games – Aquathlon – location tba

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Commercial Event Organizer Strategy

World Triathlon is the international governing body for the sport of Triathlon.

Develop a long-term strategy and uniformity of approach when dealing with major Commercial Organisers.

• Analysis and Survey of NFs and the Continental Federations
• What benefits do NFs receive?
• What involvement do NFs have?
• What do NFs charge for their services?
• Consider a MOU working Group with Xterra
• Retain and update MOU with Powerman
• Continued inclusion of Duathlon in the World Games 2022 Birmingham USA
• Continued inclusion of Aquathlon in the World Beach Games 2023 – location tba

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Questions?

Thank you