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Advertise Directories Natural Venues Guide Convention Centers Guide SPORTReport the sport, as it presents different goals and challenges for each individual. USA Triathlon events welcome athletes from age 7 to age 90 and sometimes beyond," Martin said. The number of events sanctioned by USA Triathlon has increased considerably, as well. "In 2011, USA Triathlon sanc- tioned a record total of 4,334 multisport events. This total has more than doubled in the past five years; USA Triathlon sanc- tioned 2,070 events in 2006," Martin said. USA Triathlon owns and operates four national championship events annually and will partner with existing races to round Fun For Kids Young triathletes represent the future of triathlon as a sport, said John Martin of USAT. In fact, youth ages 7 to 17 repre- sented nearly 30 percent of USA Triathlon's annual membership in 2011. "Contested at age- appropriate distances, triathlon is a fun way for kids to stay active and learn healthy fitness habits at an early age," he said. This year, USA Triathlon launched a 30-race Splash & Dash Aquathlon Series designed to introduce multisport events to youth athletes in a fun swim- run format. out its 2012 national championship calendar of 14 events, according to Martin. One tactic USA Triathlon uses to keep events interesting and engaging is moving a race around the country every few years, said Jeff Dyrek, national events director for USA Triathlon. "This allows people to see other parts of the country and be ener- gized about a new venue, course, city, attractions, etc.," he said. Another method USA Triathlon uses is to create a championship atmos- phere by offering a great race bag, an awards ceremony or dinner, and by capitalizing on the host city's attractions, Dyrek said. "For example, we are hosting a dinner cruise on Lake Champlain to honor all the 2011 USA Triathlon Athletes of the Year at this year's Age Group Nationals in Burlington, Vt.," he said. "We also try to incorporate new ideas that athletes don't typically see at other events whether it is a pre-race briefing webinar or our Go Green environmental initiative." The most important element in choosing a location for a triathlon event is finding a clean, swimmable body of water, Dyrek said. But the key to a successful event is having great local support, he said. "A solid partnership with the host city opens doors for community 'buy in,' volunteer recruitment and general support for the event. We understand that our event may inconvenience the community (in terms of road closures, etc.), but by build- ing solid relationships with the community we can address their concerns ahead of time and share with them the benefits the event brings to their community." In the coming year, USA Triathlon is most looking forward to the continued expansion of paratriathlon, Martin said. "The sport was added to the Paralympic program for the 2016 Paralympic Games in December 2010 giving these inspira- tional athletes the opportunity to compete on sport's biggest stage," he said. Interest in paratriathlon has expanded greatly since the announcement. "We have had record fields at Paratriathlon Nationals in recent years, and USA Triathlon recent- ly held its first-ever Paratriathlon High Performance Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs," Martin said. ■ Sport REPORT Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Triathlon works to create interest and participation in a variety of programs, including camps, clinics, races and edu- cational opportunities. USA Triathlon selects and trains the teams that repre- sent the United States in international competitions, including the world cham- pionships, Pan Am Games and Olympic Games. Contact: USA Triathlon www.usatriathlon.org www.sportseventsmagazine.com August 2012 37 Triathlon In the sport of triathlon, paratriathletes often compete side-by-side with able- bodied athletes. This became evident as South Africa's Oscar Pistorius, who runs on blades rather than legs, raced the anchor leg of the men's 4x400 Olympic final. ▼ Snohomish County Sports Commission