Qualifying for 2022 Age Group Nationals
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.
The only way to register is by using the unique link provided in your qualification email.
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.
Registration closes when the event sells out or by August 3 at 11:59 p.m. MT.
What is the Qualification Period for 2022?
The qualification period for 2022 Age Group Nationals extends to events back to June 1, 2021. The qualification period will end on July 31, 2022. Registration will close no later than three days 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 (2022 and 2023), then you qualify for Age Group Nationals in both years. You will be able to register for the 2023 event once registration opens. After registration opens for 2023 in late-summer/early-fall 2022, qualified athletes will receive the same qualification emails as they did for 2022, but with a new link for 2023 registration.
What is the Qualification Period for 2023?
The qualification period for 2023 Age Group Nationals will begin on June 1, 2022. The qualification period will end on July 30, 2023. Registration will close three days before the event occurs or when the event sells out (whichever comes first). Dates and qualification criteria for 2023 are subject to change from what is posted on this page. Final 2023 qualification criteria will be posted later in 2023.
Sprint and Olympic-Distance Qualification
Olympic-distance and Sprint Age Group National Championships both 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 2023 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, Relay, 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. Athletes racing in Clydesdale or Athena Divisions are also eligible.
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: 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.
What Age Must I Be To Qualify?
Olympic-Distance: To qualify for 2022 Olympic-Distance Age Group Nationals, athletes must be at least age 17 as of December 31, 2022. 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 2022 Sprint Age Group Nationals, athletes must be at least age 15 as of December 31, 2022. 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?
Qualification Path #1: General USAT Sanctioned Age Group Triathlons of ANY DISTANCE
The first way to qualify is through a normal USAT Sanctioned age group triathlon of any distance. These events include all non-championship events. Athletes must place in the top 2 or top 15% of their age group (whichever is greater). Placing via this criteria qualifies you for both Sprint AND Olympic-distance Age Group Nationals.
Additionally, any athlete who previously qualified for 2021 Age Group Nationals through an event in 2021 will automatically qualify for 2022.
Qualification Path #2: Age Group State Championships for Olympic and Sprint Triathlon
The second way to qualify is through a State Championship Event.
State championships will qualify the top 35% or top five (5) finishers in an age group (whichever is greater). You may only qualify for Olympic-distance Nationals by placing in the Olympic distance State Championship race or Sprint Nationals by placing in the sprint distance State Championship race.
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, 2022.)
Qualification Path #3: Last Year's Age Group National Championships
The third way to qualify is by finishing in the previous year’s Age Group sprint, Olympic-distance, or long course triathlon national championships.
Qualification Path #4: Team USA
The fourth way to qualify is to be a member of Team USA. Any athlete who competed as a member of Team USA in 2021 in any discipline will automatically qualify. Qualification cannot be met from participation more than one year prior.
Time to Tri Open Waves:
Age Group Nationals will retain open waves for a limited number of participants in each race. Open waves are a great will to experience one of the largest triathlons in the world while not having to qualify. Open waves are NOT eligible for National Championship awards or Team USA Qualification. However, athletes who register for an open wave and later qualify may transfer to the qualification waves at the price difference, pending availability.
Clydesdale and Athena divisions:
Beginning in 2022, Clydesdale and Athena divisions will be reintroduced to Age Group Nationals. These divisions will be treated like other award categories in that athletes indicate their identification as a Clydesdale or Athena during registration, but will still race in their respective five-year age group. Clydesdale and Athena athletes will remain eligible for awards in their respective five-year age group and Team USA qualification, but will also be eligible for a separate set of awards placing just Clydesdale and Athena athletes per the identification noted during registration. Clydesdale and Athena athletes must also complete the weigh-in procedure in transition area prior to racing to remain eligible.
It is important to note that Clydesdale and Athena athletes must still qualify for Age Group Nationals per the normal qualification paths noted above. While athletes may race in either Clydesdale/Athena or respective five-year age divisions at a sanctioned event, when USAT receives results, Clydesdale and Athena results are merged back into respective five-year age group results for sake of results reporting and calculating qualifications. While a first place finish in a Clydesdale or Athena division at a sanctioned race would not qualify an athlete, if their finish as compared to other athletes in their respective five-year age group meets the qualification criteria above, they qualify for Age Group Nationals.
Note 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).
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. 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, or relay wave at an event, you cannot qualify. The only category you can compete in to qualify is an age group category.
- 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 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.