World Triathlon announces first dates of 2021 season schedule

 WTS Leeds is in the first batch of races World Triathlon has approved for the 2021 season.

Published: October 2, 2020 at 10:34 am

Array

The first event approved will take place on May 1-2, 2021, in Chengdu (China). Chengdu will join the select group of cities hosting a World Triathlon Series event, with the best triathletes of the world competing on a sprint format at the Jintang Triathlon venue.

In May, the circuit will travel to Japan for the tenth edition of WTS Yokohama, that will be held on May 15, 2021, with the World Paratriathlon Series race contested on the same day.

In order to secure a block of races in Asia, and minimising travel as much as possible between races, the World Triathlon Executive Board also approved to have a World Cup race in Osaka (Japan) on the weekend of May 8-9.

After the postponement of the event in 2020, British Triathlon and the stakeholders of the AJ Bell World Triathlon Leeds have confirmed that the race will go ahead on 5 – 6 June 2021. For the 5th year anniversary of the race, elite top athletes of the world will enjoy a brand-new route seeing the event start and finish in Roundhay Park. For the first time, elite paratriathletes will also be taking to the start line for the World Paratriathlon Series.

World Triathlon Executive Board also approved the confirmed dates for the Viborg Powerman Middle distance Duathlon World Championships, which, after the postponement in 2020, has now been rescheduled for October 2, 2021.

2020 Bonus Pool Prize Money

The Executive Board also approved the distribution of the 2020 bonus pool prize money, approved two weeks ago to try to minimise the financial impact that Covid-19 and the lack of events have had on all athletes this season. After consultations with the Athletes Committee, and a survey sent out to all elite athletes, the Board has decided to support one of the recommendations of the athletes to allocate the 2020 bonus pool prize money, 100,000 USD, equally divided to the first 50 men and 50 women on the World Triathlon 2020 ranking.

The events that will count for this Ranking will be the Hamburg World Triathlon Series (1000 points) and the Mooloolaba, Karlovy Vary, Arzachena and Valencia World Cups, with 500 points each, with Continental Cups taking place in this period will give 250 points each. The athlete score will be the addition of the points earned in a maximum of four events if the total number of events is eight or more during this period, or only three events counting if less.

Array Array