Sport Triathlon Founded 1989 President Marisol Casado | Abbreviation ITU Location Lausanne, Switzerland Chief Exec Antonio Arimany | |
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The International Triathlon Union (ITU) is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations. ITU, which is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, sanctions the ITU World Triathlon Series and the ITU Triathlon World Cup.
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Overview
The ITU was formed in 1989, and organizes official world championship series races for the sport of triathlon. It was formed in part to give the growing sport of triathlon an official organizing body and in part to advocate for the entry of triathlon into the Olympic games.
The primary ITU race series is the short-course or standard distance World Triathlon Series and Triathlon World Cup. The distances for the ITU world cup races are 1500 m swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run. They were chosen from existing swim, bike, and run distances already in the Olympic games. This distance of triathlon has become one of the primary standards in the world of triathlon.
More recently, the ITU created a long distance race circuit with official world championships. Long Distance Triathlon races are very similar in length to Ironman Triathlon races owned and organized by the World Triathlon Corporation.
The ITU also sanctions and organizes official Aquathlon (swim-run), Duathlon (run-bike-run) and Winter triathlon championships.
International structure
The ITU is structured into 5 continental regions, through which the national federations (the governing body of triathlon in each country) is affiliated to the ITU. Each of the continental regions offers a Continental Championship and Continental Cup Series.
Championships
The world championship events organised by the ITU include: