Qualifying for 2021 Age Group Nationals
Looking for 2022 Age Group Nationals Qualification info? Click here!
Have you qualified for the Toyota Age Group National Championships? The following information will explain the qualification process. Please read all of the following information before contacting USA Triathlon to inquire about your qualification status.
All athletes who qualified in 2020 have automatically qualified for 2021.
The only way to register is by using the unique code provided in your qualification email. Emails will have an image similar to those on the right.
Some qualification details and percentages have changed from previous years. Be sure to read thoroughly to know if you qualified!
If you believe you qualified but did not receive an email, please read the information here.
Additional Slots Now Available!
You heard it right - Age Group Nationals is now operating at full capacity! This means we're increasing capacity to over 3,000 athletes per race. Milwaukee has cleared all capacity limitations for Age Group Nationals due to the city’s confidence in USA Triathlon’s Safe Return to Multisport protocols. You, too, can be confident that the health and safety of all athletes, staff, volunteers and the local community is USA Triathlon’s highest priority.
Athletes who had previously joined the waitlist will receive a code to register on June 23. Newly qualified athletes will begin to receive qualification emails during the week of June 28.
While capacity has increased, it is very likely the event will sell out and we will initiate another waitlist procedure, so register as soon as you get your qualification email! Registration closes when the event sells out or by August 4 at 11:59 p.m. MT.
What is the Qualification Period for 2021?
Due to many canceled events in 2020, the qualification period for 2021 Age Group Nationals extends to events back to May 31, 2019. The qualification period will end on August 1, 2021. Registration will close no later than three before the event occurs or when the event sells out (whichever comes first). The event will likely sell out early. No race day registrations are permitted.
Please note: If the event you qualified in falls in both qualification periods (2021 and 2022), then you qualify for Age Group Nationals in both years. You will be able to register for the 2021 event once registration opens. After registration opens for 2021 in late-summer/early-fall 2020, qualified athletes will receive the same qualification emails as they did for 2020, but with a new link for 2021 registration.
Due to capacity limitations, the 2021 qualification period has changed from what was previously posted. We apologize for any inconvenience.
What is the Qualification Period for 2022?
The qualification period for 2022 Age Group Nationals will begin on July 1, 2021. The qualification period will end on July 30, 2022. Registration will close eight days before the event occurs or when the event sells out (whichever comes first). Dates and qualification criteria for 2022 are subject to change from what is posted on this page. Final 2022 qualification criteria will be posted later this year.
Sprint and Olympic-Distance Qualification
Olympic-distance and Sprint Age Group National Championships will require qualification! Please thoroughly read the qualification criteria below as criteria differ between Olympic and Sprint races. Please note that each Olympic-distance and Sprint race will also have a Time to Tri Open wave, open to anybody. The Time to Tri Open waves are not eligible for National Championship awards or Team USA qualification, but they are eligible to qualify for the 2022 Age Group National Championships.
What events qualify for Age Group Nationals?
To qualify for Age Group Nationals, you must finish a USAT Sanctioned age group triathlon of any distance. Distances can be as short as super-sprint and as long as ultra-distance (full IRONMAN). These events can include on-road and off-road races. Age Group Nationals is the only USA Triathlon National Championship which requires this strict qualification.
What Category Must I Participate In To Qualify?
To qualify, you must participate in an age group category. Participating in an Elite, Open, Athena, Clydesdale, etc. category will not qualify you. Qualification is based on the finish in the athlete's age group, not where the athlete is extended an award. For example, if an athlete wins an overall award at an event and is removed from their age group, they will be placed back in their respective age group for purposes of qualification and the USAT rankings database.
If Jane Doe is the overall female champion at an event and does not take first place in her age group at that event (because the race director removes her), Jane Doe will be placed back in her respective age group in the results that the race director submits to USAT for qualification purposes.
Note: Clydesdale and Athena, Open, and Para (participating without assistance) athletes can still qualify for Age Group Nationals if, at the event in which they are trying to qualify, their starting wave is the same wave as their respective age group competitors. For example, if Athenas ages 39 and under start with all other women age 39 and under, the Athenas still can qualify for Age Group Nationals since they started in the same wave as their normal age group as required by the USA Triathlon Competitive Rules.
What Age Must I Be To Qualify?
Olympic-Distance: To qualify for 2021 Olympic-Distance Age Group Nationals, athletes must be at least age 17 as of December 31, 2021. Athletes can be age 16 on the day of the event as long as they are going to turn 17 by December 31.
Sprint: To qualify for 2021 Sprint Age Group Nationals, athletes must be at least age 15 as of December 31, 2021. Athletes can be age 14 on the day of the event as long as they are going to turn 15 by December 31.
How Do I qualify?
There are five different means of qualification.
Qualification Path #1: General USAT Sanctioned Age Group Triathlons
The first way to qualify is through a normal USAT Sanctioned age group triathlon of any distance. These events include all non-championship events.
- Olympic-Distance: To qualify, athletes must either place in the top three (3) or in the top 25% of finishers in their age group.
- Sprint: To qualify, athletes must either place in the top five (5) or in the top 35% of finishers in their age group, whichever is greater.
Qualification Path #2: Regional Championships, Special Qualifiers and State Championships
The second way to qualify is through a USA Triathlon Regional or State Championship event.
Olympic-Distance:
- Olympic-Distance Regional championships or Special Qualifiers will qualify the top 35% or top five (5) finishers in an age group (whichever is greater) in only the Olympic-Distance race at that event. No other distance or discipline at Regional Championships will allow for Olympic-distance qualification. Regional championships are listed on this page.
- Olympic-Distance State championships will qualify the top 25% of finishers or top three (3) finishers in an age group (whichever is greater) in only the Olympic-Distance race at that event. No other distance or discipline at State Championships will allow for Olympic-distance qualification. State championships are listed on this page.
Sprint:
- Regional Championships or Special Qualifiers will qualify the top 45% or top five (5) finishers in an age group (whichever is greater) in only the Sprint race at that event. No other distance or discipline at Regional Championships or Special Qualifiers will allow for Sprint qualification. Regional Championships and Special Qualifiers are listed on this page.
- State championships will qualify the top 35% or top three (3) finishers in an age group (whichever is greater) in only the Sprint race at that event. No other distance or discipline at State Championships will allow for Sprint qualification. State championships are listed on this page.
- High School State Championships Exemption: All high school athletes who finish any of the State High School Championships will automatically qualify for Sprint-distance (pending they are at least age 15 as of December 31, 2021.) High School State Championships are listed on this page.
Qualification Path #3: Last Year's Age Group National Championships
The third way to qualify is by participating in the previous year’s Age Group sprint, Olympic-distance, or long course triathlon national championships..
The top 33% or top ten (10) finishers (whichever is greater) in each age group at any of the above 2019 National Championships will automatically qualify for 2021. (2020 events were canceled).
Qualification Path #4: Team USA and Top 25% in Rankings
The fourth way to qualify is to be a member of Team USA or be within the top 25% in rankings among those in your age group and gender. The top 25% applies to those who are ranked in Triathlon or Triathlon Off-Road Rankings in 2019 or 2020.
Any athlete who competed as a member of Team USA in 2019 or 2020 in triathlon (sprint, Olympic/standard, or long-course distances) will automatically qualify. Qualification cannot be met from participation more than one year prior.
All-Americans from the 2019 or 2020 USA Triathlon National Rankings (Triathlon and Triathlon Off-Road) automatically qualify.
Qualification Path #5: Race Score Earned based on Age
The fifth way to qualify is by earning a race score equal to or greater than the score listed in the table at the bottom of this page for your current age group and discipline. For instance, in 2021 if your race age is 49, you are a man, and you participated in an Off-Road Triathlon, you would need to earn a score of 104.421. The table at the bottom of this page is based on national rankings scores earned by All American athletes in 2019, for that gender, age group, and discipline. To check your score from a race you have completed, please click here, then search for your name or your race.
View table at the bottom of this pageNote on Rounding:
When performing qualification calculations, USA Triathlon will round to the next whole number. For instance if there are twenty-five (25) people in and age group and only the top 15% qualify, the top four (4) finishers in that age group will qualify. This is because 15% of 25 = 3.75. Therefore, we will round up to fourth place (4).
Time to Tri Open Waves - No Qualification Needed to Participate
A Time to Tri Open wave will be included in both Olympic and Sprint distance races. No qualification is needed to participate in the open waves. However, Time to Tri Open wave participants are NOT eligible for national championship awards or Team USA qualification. Time to Tri Open wave participants will receive the same shirt, goody bag and other items as qualification-based participants. Time to Tri Open wave participants may qualify for the qualification-based age groups at the following year's Age Group National Championships through Qualification Path #3. Register and learn more here.
How Do I Know If I Have Qualified?
If you have qualified through the above criteria, you will automatically receive the “You’ve Qualified” email from USA Triathlon (see sample picture at the top of this page). Your unique registration link is in that email. That link will be valid until registration closes.
I Believe I Qualified, But I Have Not Received Notification
If you believe you have qualified, but have not yet received notification, please first check your email and spam or junk folders. Once you have checked your email and confirmed that you have not received notification of qualification, please consider the following:
- Results are not submitted instantly to USA Triathlon. Race directors have fifteen (15) days to submit results to USA Triathlon. Regardless of when the race director submits results, you cannot qualify until USAT receives official results from the race director. Once results are received by USAT, they are processed by the rankings department within a few business days. Qualification emails will then go out automatically. Please wait at least fifteen (15) days before contacting USAT to see if results have been submitted for your event.
- Athletes in your age group may have been removed for an overall award. If an athlete in your age group won an overall award (I.E. overall male, overall masters, overall grand masters, etc.), they will be placed back in to their respective age group for qualification and rankings purposes. If you placed first in your age group at your race, but the overall winner is normally in your age group, they will be placed back into your age group and you will have officially finished in second place for qualification purposes.
- If you competed in an elite, open, Athena, or Clydesdale wave at an event, you cannot qualify. The only category you can compete in to qualify is an age group category. (If you raced in a Clydesdale or Athena division at an event and the Clydesdale or Athena wave occurred at the same time as your respective age group wave, you qualify).
- The only events that can qualify must be USA Triathlon Sanctioned. If the event you competed in was not sanctioned by USAT, you cannot qualify. If an event is sanctioned by USAT, you will know this because you should have either signed the USA Triathlon waiver for a one-day membership, entered your annual member number at registration, and/or showed your USAT annual membership card to pick-up your race packet.
- If none of the above options apply to you or if you are unsure, please email the National Events department.
How Can I Check The Results USAT Currently Has On File?
To view all USA Triathlon sanctioned events that you have participated in, please click here. Then, either enter your full name or USAT annual member number. Please note: if results have not yet been submitted by the race director, they will not appear on this database yet.
Can I Defer My Qualification To Next Year?
No. Qualification cannot be deferred to the following year. Athletes must re-qualify each year. Additionally, USA Triathlon has a strict no transfer, deferment, or refund for any reason policy that you must agree to in order to register for the event.
Note: All athletes who qualified for 2020 have automatically qualified for 2021.
Note on Athenas and Clydesdales
Since ITU does not support a division for Athenas and Clydesdales at its Sprint and Olympic-Distance World Championships, USA Triathlon will not be supporting an Athena and Clydesdale division at the Age Group National Championships. If the athlete’s intent is to qualify for either the Sprint or Olympic-Distance World Championships, they will need to compete in the wave corresponding with their age group at the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships. Again, since the Age Group National Championships will no longer support the Clydesdale and Athena division, all athletes will need to meet qualification in the athlete’s respective age group at a Sanctioned Event when qualifying.
Note on Event Changes Due to Unsafe Conditions
If a triathlon is changed to a duathlon more than 24 hours before the scheduled start of the event, it will be considered a duathlon and will not qualify for Age Group Nationals. If the triathlon is changed to a duathlon less than 24 hours prior to the scheduled race start, it will still be ranked as a triathlon and will qualify for Age Group Nationals.
Qualification Path #5 Table
| 2019 TRIATHLON MALE | 2019 TRIATHLON FEMALE | |||
| 0-15 | 0-15 | |||
| GENDER | OVERALL SCORE | GENDER | OVERALL SCORE | |
| M | 86.667 | F | 90.181 | |
| 16-17 | 16-17 | |||
| M | 98.316 | F | 97.185 | |
| 18-19 | 18-19 | |||
| M | 98.144 | F | 95.094 | |
| 20-24 | 20-24 | |||
| M | 99.877 | F | 93.706 | |
| 25-29 | 25-29 | |||
| M | 97.925 | F | 94.946 | |
| 30-34 | 30-34 | |||
| M | 96.529 | F | 93.313 | |
| 35-39 | 35-39 | |||
| M | 92.653 | F | 92.186 | |
| 40-44 | 40-44 | |||
| M | 90.968 | F | 90.998 | |
| 45-49 | 45-49 | |||
| M | 89.263 | F | 88.514 | |
| 50-54 | 50-54 | |||
| M | 88.422 | F | 86.912 | |
| 55-59 | 55-59 | |||
| M | 85.372 | F | 84.714 | |
| 60-64 | 60-64 | |||
| M | 82.333 | F | 81.586 | |
| 65-69 | 65-69 | |||
| M | 78.714 | F | 77.719 | |
| 70-74 | 70-74 | |||
| M | 72.603 | F | 74.834 | |
| 75-79 | 75-79 | |||
| M | 68.656 | F | 64.970 | |
| 80-84 | 80-84 | |||
| M | 59.158 | F | 54.013 | |
| 85-89 | 85-89 | |||
| M | 45.629 | F | 40.985 | |
| 90-94 | ||||
| F | 36.196 | |||
| 2019 TRIATHLON OFF-ROAD MALE | 2019 TRIATHLON OFF-ROAD FEMALE | |||
| 0-15 | 0-15 | |||
| GENDER | OVERALL SCORE | GENDER | OVERALL SCORE | |
| M | 103.376 | F | 91.935 | |
| 16-17 | 16-17 | |||
| M | 120.245 | F | 79.741 | |
| 18-19 | 18-19 | |||
| M | 104.053 | F | 88.196 | |
| 20-24 | 20-24 | |||
| M | 95.347 | F | 88.226 | |
| 25-29 | 25-29 | |||
| M | 101.730 | F | 99.825 | |
| 30-34 | 30-34 | |||
| M | 106.749 | F | 97.477 | |
| 35-39 | 35-39 | |||
| M | 107.323 | F | 101.705 | |
| 40-44 | 40-44 | |||
| M | 102.795 | F | 101.743 | |
| 45-49 | 45-49 | |||
| M | 104.421 | F | 103.480 | |
| 50-54 | 50-54 | |||
| M | 99.506 | F | 91.874 | |
| 55-59 | 55-59 | |||
| M | 96.726 | F | 100.284 | |
| 60-64 | 60-64 | |||
| M | 94.660 | F | 84.097 | |
| 65-69 | 65-69 | |||
| M | 81.558 | F | 72.398 | |
| 70-74 | 70-74 | |||
| M | 82.083 | F | 58.860 | |
| 75-79 | ||||
| M | 72.701 | |||