More than 6,000 Athletes to Race in Milwaukee at USA Triathlon Nationals and PTO U.S. Open
by USA Triathlon
MILWAUKEE — More than 6,000 triathletes will race in Milwaukee this Friday, Aug. 4, through Sunday, Aug. 6, for USA Triathlon Nationals, a multiple-day triathlon event bringing together the country’s best amateur adult triathletes and youth and junior athletes for three days of racing. USA Triathlon Nationals combines the longstanding Sprint- and Olympic-Distance National Championships with Zone3 Youth & Junior Nationals into one combined event and celebration of the sport.
This marks the third consecutive year for Milwaukee to host USA Triathlon’s marquee national championship. In both 2021 and 2022, Sprint and Olympic-Distance Nationals attracted more than 6,000 registrants — the first two times in the event’s history to hit the 6,000 mark. Same as the 2022 event, Sprint- and Olympic-Distance Nationals includes the Clydesdale & Athena National Championships.
The fun and iconic Zone3 Youth & Junior Nationals brings together youth triathletes ages 7-19 for participation-based youth racing and junior draft-legal racing. Qualification is not required to participate in the youth age group races, which are open to athletes ages 7-18 (previously limited to ages 7-15). Youth & Junior Nationals also includes paratriathlon divisions and a dedicated racing category for athletes with an intellectual impairment.
For the second consecutive year, USA Triathlon is offering a dedicated racing category for athletes with an intellectual impairment. Adding the new category is a part of the organization’s continued efforts to increase opportunities and access for current and prospective youth athletes and encouraging a culture of equality in the sport. All athletes racing in the intellectual impairment wave will receive a free USA Triathlon youth annual membership, donated by the USA Triathlon Foundation.
USA Triathlon Nationals also coincides with the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) U.S. Open, featuring several of the sport's biggest triathlon stars, including Olympic medalist Taylor Knibb, Wisconsin hometown star, Jackie Hering, Sam Long, Olympian Ben Kanute and Olympic medalist Kristian Blummenfelt. The men's PTO U.S. Open race is Friday, Aug. 4. and the women's PTO U.S. Open takes place Saturday, Aug. 5.
ATHLETE & RACE GUIDE
For more information about USA Triathlon Nationals, including maps, detailed schedule, parking information and past results, view the digital Athlete Guide.
SCHEDULE & VENUE
The main venue for USA Triathlon Nationals and the PTO U.S. Open is adjacent to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Henry Maier Festival Park and Discovery World along the shore of Lake Michigan. Athletes will swim in Lake Michigan, which provides cool water temperatures and a breakwater in Milwaukee’s bay. The bike course traverses the Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge and the Lake Freeway, which will be closed to traffic during the event. The run course travels out along Lake Michigan on paved trails through the scenic Veterans Park, returning on the shaded Lincoln Memorial Drive.
Friday, Aug. 4
8 a.m.: Open Water Swim Competition
9:45 a.m.: Female Junior Development Draft-Legal
11 a.m.: Male Junior Development Draft-Legal
12:25 p.m.: Female Youth Development Draft-Legal
1:10 p.m.: Male Youth Development Draft-Legal
4:15 p.m.: PTO Pro Men
Racing will begin on Friday, Aug. 4, with a 750-meter open water swim competition. The open water swim is open to anybody, and no qualification is required to compete.
Youth and junior athletes will then take center stage, with the Youth & Junior Draft-Legal races. Youth Draft-Legal athletes will cover a 375m swim, 10k bike and 2.5k run, while Junior Draft-Legal athletes will take on a 750m swim, 20k bike and 5k run. The draft-legal format is similar to the style of racing contested at the Olympic Games and other elite World Triathlon competitions.
The nation’s up-and-coming triathlon stars race in the junior-draft legal races. Several past and present members of the U.S. Elite Triathlon National Team — including Tokyo 2020 Olympians Kevin McDowell and Taylor Knibb; 2016 U.S. Olympians Ben Kanute and Greg Billington; and World Triathlon U23 and Junior Champion Tamara Gorman — all began their triathlon careers on the youth and junior racing circuits.
Saturday, Aug. 5
7 a.m.: Olympic-Distance National Championships
1:05 p.m.: Youth and Junior Draft-Legal Mixed Relay
4:15-8 p.m.: PTO Pro Women
On Saturday, adult athletes will toe the line for the qualification-based Olympic-Distance Nationals, which features a 1,500m swim, 40k bike and 10k run.
In both the Olympic-Distance and Sprint National Championship races, athletes will be chasing national titles in their respective age groups. Top finishers in each age group will also earn the opportunity to represent Team USA at the 2024 World Triathlon Age Group Championships.
For more information about Team USA, comprised of the nation’s top amateur triathletes who represent Team USA in World Championship competition, visit USA Triathlon's website here.
Also on Saturday is the Youth & Junior Mixed Relay. Relay teams are made up of four competitors (two boys, two girls), which each team member completing a 250m swim, draft-legal 5k bike and 1.2k run before tagging off to the next athlete. The Mixed Relay event made its Olympic debut at the Olympics Games Tokyo 2020, with the U.S. team winning the silver medal.
Sunday, Aug. 6
7 a.m.: Sprint National Championships
12:55 p.m.: Youth Age Group Ages 13-18
2 p.m.: Youth Age Group Ages 11-12
2:07-2:12 p.m.: Youth ATD1 (PC Open) and Youth ATD2 (Neurodiverse)
3:20 p.m.: Youth Age Group Ages 7-10
The racing action continues Sunday for adult triathletes with the qualification-based Sprint National Championships, held on a 750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run course.
Following will be the youth age group races for athletes 13-18. Athletes will cover a 300m swim, non-drafting 10k bike and 2.5k run.
Qualification is not required to participate in the youth age group races, which are open to athletes ages 7-18 (previously limited to ages 7-15). Emphasizing participation and personal goal setting over competition for the younger age groups, “National Champion” titles will only be awarded to athletes ages 13-18, while athletes ages 7-12 will receive placement awards.
The youth age group races for athletes ages 7-12 will cap the weekend. Athletes ages 7-10 will complete a 100m swim, 5k bike and 1k run, while 11- to 12-year-olds will complete a 200m swim, 10k bike and 2k run. Youth paratriathletes and athletes with intellectual impairments will also compete Sunday, taking on the same course as the 11-12 age group.
USA TRIATHLON EVENTS APP
Media, friends and family can track athletes as they compete with the USA Triathlon Events App. The app features athlete tracking, event schedules, live leaderboards and more, and is available for download on iPhone and Android devices.
LOCATION AND PARKING
The main venue for Age Group Nationals is 500 Harbor Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53202. There is no parking onsite at the race venue.
Public parking options are available near race village (PDF). All lots and garages have a nominal fee.
MEDIA CREDENTIALS
Media picking up their press credential should contact Kelly Fox, USA Triathlon Director of Marketing & Communications, at kelly.fox@usatriathlon.org or 203-506-2448. Credentials must be picked up at the USA Triathlon finish-line announcer’s tent on Thursday or Friday of race week or on race mornings before starting coverage. To request a credential, please fill out USA Triathlon's Media Credential Application.
HOW TO WATCH PTO U.S. OPEN
Both the women’s and men’s 100km races in Milwaukee will take place on a specially designed course, which is adjacent to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Henry Maier Festival Park and Discovery World along the shore of Lake Michigan. For further course details, please visit: https://protriathletes.org/events/pto-tour/us-open/pro/
The men’s race takes place on Friday, Aug. 4, starting at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT The women’s race takes place on Saturday starting at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.
Both races will be broadcast live around the world to 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO Tour’s partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery. It will live on Eurosport 1 from 2300 CET as well as featured on a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters including CNBC in the US, DAZN, beIN Sports and SPOTV across Asia.
The prize fund for the PTO Opens in 2023 is $600,000 USD per event – with $100,000 for the winner, $50,000 for second and $35,000 for third – making each event the most lucrative in the sport over this distance.
About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,000 races and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors – as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation – USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).