2011 ITU Long Distance Worlds To Be Held In Henderson, Nevada

The International Triathlon Union, USA Triathlon, the city of Henderson and Lowery’s Multi-sport Races are proud to announce the 2011 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships will be held in Henderson, Nev., USA, on Nov. 5, 2011.

“We are thrilled to welcome this world class sporting event to Henderson,” Mayor Andy Hafen said. “Henderson is proud to join an elite list of cities and to showcase its ability to produce an international event of this caliber.”

As the host city for the Nevada Silverman Triathlon for the past five years, the city of Henderson and Lowery have significant experience and expertise in managing an event of this stature. In addition, southern Nevada boasts 145,000 hotel rooms and the fifth-busiest airport in North America.

“It is a privilege that only few in the United States have been given. To host the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships speaks volumes of the hard working volunteers and city officials who have made this possible,” said Lowery. “Without the support and dedication of this great city, there is no possible way this event could be hosted here. We are thrilled to welcome this world class sporting event to Henderson, and we are confident it will be a huge success.”

Perth, Australia hosted the 2009 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships, a year after Almere, Holland staged the event. The last time the Long Distance Triathlon World Championships were held in the United States was in 1996 in Muncie, Ind.

“We are thrilled to have the ITU Long Distance World Championships on American soil,” said Jeff Dyrek, USA Triathlon’s National Events director. “Henderson & Las Vegas will provide athletes with a great event and world class entertainment.”

“The U.S. is a very important region for ITU, and we are delighted to be able to bring such a large event back to a country which has such a long and important history within our sport,” said Marisol Casado, President of ITU.

About International Triathlon Union (ITU)
The International Triathlon Union is the world governing body for the Olympic sport of Triathlon and all related Multisport disciplines: Duathlon, Aquathlon and Winter Triathlon. ITU was founded in 1989 at the first ITU Congress in Avignon, France and has maintained its headquarters in Vancouver, Canada since then. It now has over 120 affiliated National Federations around the world and is the youngest International Federation in the Olympics. Triathlon was awarded Olympic status in 1994. ITU is proudly committed to supporting the development of the sport worldwide through strong relationships with continental and national federations, working with its partners to offer a balanced sport development program from grassroots to a high-performance level. For more information, visit: www.triathlon.org.

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the national governing body for triathlon – the fastest growing sport in the world – as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 2,800 races and connects with more than 125,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games, and the Olympic Games. Visit www.usatriathlon.org for more information.

About the Nevada Silverman Triathlon
The Silverman Triathlon is a long distance triathlon held annually in Henderson, Nev. Branded as the toughest course in North America by triathlon icon Dave Scott and echoed by more than 2,500 participants over the past five years, the Nevada Silverman is sure to attract individuals and relay teams from around the world in the coming years. For registration or more information on the Nevada Silverman Triathlon, please visit www.silvermannv.com.

Press release provided by USAT.