(Image: Patrick Nouhailler)
The International Triathlon Union is moving its HQ from Vancouver to Lausanne, Switzerland as part of efforts to build closer ties with the International Olympic Committee.
“Vancouver has played an important role in the history, with ITU having maintained its headquarters there since its inception nearly 25 years ago," said ITU president Marisol Casado.
"But with the International Olympic Committee and a vast majority of International Federations and organisations located in Lausanne, we believe the best choice for the future of triathlon was to make Lausanne the headquarters."
The change will be made official tomorrow (7 January) when its offices reopen for the year. The ITU's outposts in Vancouver and Madrid will remain open, and there are no plans for any staff relocations at the moment.
Despite the move however, North America still has some major ITU events happening in the near future: this year's WTS Grand Finals will take place in Edmonton, Canada, and the 2015 finals will be in Chicago.