How the International Triathlon Union Works

As you might expect, the history of the International Triathlon Union is rooted in the history of the triathlon itself. The first triathlon took place in San Diego, Calif., on September 24, 1975, and was organized by the San Diego Track & Field Club. The race included a 5.3-mile (9-kilometer) run, a 5-mile (8-kilometer) cycle and a 600-yard (.5-kilometer) swim in Mission Bay. Forty-six athletes finished the race.

Enthusiasm quickly spread for the event that combined three races into one. In only a few years, the sport of triathlon became one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Its rapid growth drew the attention of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1988. Then IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch arranged a meeting in Stockholm to discuss adding triathlon to the Olympic Games. Canadian Les McDonald was selected to be president of a working committee for triathlon, and Sweden's Sture Jonasson was elected as secretary.

The International Triathlon Union was founded on April 1, 1989, at the first ITU Congress in Avignon, France. Thirty National Federations attended the first Congress, and the sport's first World Championships were held in Avignon in August 1989. Here, Olympic distances were set at a 1.5-kilometer (.93-mile) swim, 40-kilometer (24.8-mile) bike ride and 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) run. More than 800 athletes representing 40 countries competed in the first World Championships. McDonald was elected as ITU's first official president in 1989.

The ITU's international headquarters were established in Vancouver, Canada. The organization now includes more than 120 affiliated National Federations. Their World Cup series began in 1991, staging 11 races in eight countries. In 2009, the group established the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championships Series as ITU's top-tier race series. The series includes eight races in eight different countries.

The IOC finally added triathlon to the Olympic program at its Congress in Paris in 1994. The event made its debut at the 2000 Games in Sydney, where Switzerland's Bridgitte McMahon and Canada's Simon Whitefield earned the sport's first gold medals.

In November 2005, Spain's Marisol Casado was elected as the ITU's second president, and she became a member of the IOC in February 2010, at the IOC's annual meeting in the ITU's hometown of Vancouver.

To learn more about the variety of events the ITU offers, click to the next page.

The ITU sponsors, organizes and runs several world championship events each year. The events offer prize purses that together equal more than $3 million. Here are some of the competitions:

ITU World Championship Series. This new series offers an opportunity for the world's top athletes to compete on an ongoing basis while attracting more than 13,000 athletes and 1 million spectators. The annual seven-event series features competitions around the world. Events in 2010 were held in Sydney, Seoul, Madrid, Hamburg, London and Kitzbuhel, concluding with the grand final in Budapest.

Dextro Energy, a leader in the dextrose market, is the sponsor for the series, known as the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series. Each individual final offers a $150,000 prize purse, and the Grand Final offers a $250,000 purse. Top performers earn points toward their world rankings.

The ITU World Cup Series. Started in 1991, the World Cup Series draws some of the sport's top athletes to compete in Olympic-distance events. Top performers earn points toward a world ranking.

ITU Elite Sprint World Championships. Held for the first time in 2010, this championship features a continuous swim-cycle-run competition that spans half the Olympic distance, including a 750-meter (.46-mile) swim, 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) bicycle and 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) run.

ITU Team Triathlon World Championships. Each country may enter two teams of four athletes (two men and two women). Teams compete in the order of female-male-female-male. Each athlete completes a 275-meter (300-yard) swim, 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) bike ride and 1.5-kilometer (1-mile) run, then tags the next athlete in the relay. The first team triathlon was held in 2009 in Des Moines, Iowa; the 2010 event took place in Lausanne, Switzerland.

ITU Hy-Vee Triathlon Elite Cup. This event attracts top performers from around the world with a purse of $1 million. Held in Des Moines, Iowa, the triathlon is sponsored by Hy-Vee in an effort to promote good health and nutrition.

Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. Held since 1994, this championship includes a swim-bike-run that covers double or triple the standard distances. Stamina and endurance are required, as races for elite triathletes can last around seven hours. Events for the duathlon, aquathlon, winter triathlon and paratriathlon world championships also take place annually.

Olympic Games. Held every four years, the Olympic Games are the much-anticipated, premiere triathlon event. Triathlon made its first Olympic appearance in the 2000 Games in Sydney.

Are you ready for the world of competitive triathlons? For links to more information, click to the next page.