Considering racing at the 2019 Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships? Here are the top 10 reasons you should join us Aug. 11-12 in Cleveland!
10. Cleveland is hosting Age Group Nationals for the second consecutive year, and the event will be better than ever thanks to the following event enhancements:
- Improved on-water operations and logistics, including additional sight buoys for the swim in Lake Erie
- A smoother bike ride thanks to improved road patching in conjunction with the City of Cleveland
- A one-lap run course, reducing congestion
- Construction is complete on the Shoreway (Ohio Route 2), which means wide open and smoother roads on race days
- Improved Friday on-site parking
- Increased packet pick-up efficiency
- Improved post-race food operations
- Additional bike pumps and support in transition area
9. When you’re not racing, you’ll have a vibrant city at your fingertips with tons to see and do. Stop by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, check out a Cleveland Browns preseason game (vs. Washington Redskins on Aug. 8), see at show at Playhouse Square, or visit the West Side Market for some local eats.
8. Just 30 minutes outside the city, Cuyahoga Valley National Park offers breathtaking waterfalls and scenic vistas. It’s the perfect spot for a relaxed pre-race hike or trail run (or a post-race celebratory ramble!) Find maps, trail conditions and more at nps.gov/cuva.
7. By racing in Cleveland in 2019, you’ll have access to exclusive qualification opportunities for the 2020 Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships in Milwaukee. Note that starting in 2020, the sprint-distance race will be qualification-based in addition to the Olympic-distance:
- All qualification criteria for the 2020 Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships (sprint- and Olympic-distance) will be waived for 2019 Age Group Nationals participants who register during Tier 1 pricing, which is only offered onsite at the 2019 event in Cleveland. This option opens on Aug. 8 and is only available until the conclusion of the event. Registration will be located in the expo area at the race venue.
- All participants in the sprint-distance race at the 2019 Age Group National Championships will automatically qualify for the 2020 Sprint National Championships (whether you register onsite in Cleveland or not). This special, one-time qualification opportunity will not apply in future years. For more information about qualifying for 2020 Age Group Nationals by way of racing in 2019, click here.
6. Want your fans to follow the action back home? Both the sprint- and Olympic-distances races will be livestreamed at usatriathlon.org! In addition, the USA Triathlon Events App provides live athlete tracking, leaderboards, results, push notifications and more.
5. Offers from USA Triathlon partners means one of the best goodie bags in the country. You’ll get a 2XU short sleeve tee and BOCO Gear hat, plus access to an awesome expo with NormaTec recovery stations and much more.
4. Get your family involved or add some excitement to your pre-race tune-up with ancillary events on Friday. A 750-meter open water swim competition, hosted in partnership with USA Swimming and U.S. Masters Swimming, is set for 11 a.m. on Friday and is open to all skill levels. Later that evening at 6:30 p.m. is the Sunset Sprint 5k, which ends under the Age Group National Championships finish arch!
3. Ever tried racing back-to-back? For an added challenge, double up with both the Olympic-distance on Saturday and the sprint on Sunday. It’s the ultimate weekend-warrior challenge!
2. Earn a spot to represent the U.S. at a world championship event as part of one of the largest Team USA contingents in history. Top finishers in both Olympic-Distance and Sprint Nationals will have an opportunity to compete on USA Triathlon’s Team USA in 2020, when the ITU Age-Group Triathlon World Championships head to Edmonton, Canada.
1. Bragging rights! You will be part of the most competitive field in sprint- and Olympic-distance triathlon, with top athletes from all 50 states competing for a national title, a spot on Team USA and of course, a PR. Plus, you’ll have a red-carpet experience as you run to the finish line on race day.
Learn more about the 2019 Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships at usatriathlon.org/agnc2019.