“It is a pleasure to announce that Lausanne, the “Olympic Capital”, has been awarded the World Championships in 2019,” said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado. “The 2019 season will be a pre-Olympic year in which athletes are vying for Olympic spots. What better place for athletes to race for major Olympic qualifying points than in the Olympic Capital itself.
“The decision came down between two exceptional bids between Edmonton and Lausanne. It was a very difficult decision and we thank both cities for their desire to host the Grand Final. With the naming of the 2019 ITU Grand Final host, we now have the World Championship races confirmed for the next three years, which puts triathlon in a fantastic position.”
The stunning city of Lausanne, which is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), has hosted triathlon races since 1998 when the Swiss city welcomed the ITU Triathlon World Championships for the first time. Lausanne then held ITU’s pinnacle triathlon event again in 2006, as well as the Sprint World Championships in 2011.
Lausanne is also a two-time host of the ITU Mixed Relay World Championships, and has also organised World Cups, European Cups, and European Championship races.
The event will also crown world champions in junior and U23 categories, as well as Paratriathlon. The city will also welcome thousands of age groupers who will compete to call themselves the fastest in the world.
The event will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ITU Triathlon World Championships as the first ones were held in Avignon, France in 1989.