USA Triathlon and PATCO have determined that the 2021 Americas Triathlon Cup Sarasota, Americas Triathlon Para Championships Sarasota and Americas Triathlon Junior North Americas Championships Sarasota (as well as a Youth Elite race), originally scheduled for March 14-15 in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida, will no longer take place as PATCO events and will no longer be sanctioned by World Triathlon. Instead, USA Triathlon and the Local Organizing Committee in Sarasota will host Elite, Junior Elite, Youth Elite and Paratriathlon races without PATCO Americas Cup designation on March 13-14 (Saturday and Sunday), available to all those who are able to attend while adhering to local, national and international public health guidelines. USA Triathlon is offering a $10,000 prize purse – $5,000 for the Elite race and $5,000 for the Paratriathlon race.
The decision was made after surveying and consulting with PATCO nations. The international travel restrictions and quarantine requirements would prevent some of the nations’ athletes from traveling to the race thus limiting the field of competition.
USA Triathlon and SANCA (Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates, Inc. — the local organizing committee at Nathan Benderson Park), are confident the planned Elite, Junior Elite, Youth Elite and Paratriathlon races can be held successfully with COVID-19 safety measures in place, for those who are able to attend. These events will have no impact on PATCO or World Triathlon rankings, points or qualification. Registration will open for the Elite, Junior Elite, Youth Elite and Paratriathlon races on Monday, Feb. 8, at http://www.srqtrifest.com (Website will be live on Monday). Note that all participants must register through the race organizer online, rather than through their National Federations. Please be aware that the races are now set for March 13-14, Saturday and Sunday, NOT a Sunday and Monday as the PATCO events were scheduled.
USA Triathlon will continue to look for opportunities to host these important PATCO events later in 2021. In the meantime, we encourage those who are willing and safely able to attend Sarasota to plan to do so and enjoy a weekend of high-quality racing. With the preceding weekend-long Clermont Draft-Legal Challenge on March 6-7, which includes Elite, Youth Elite and Elite Development races (no PATCO designation), we look forward to two back-to-back weekends of USA Triathlon-sanctioned races in sunny Florida.
The safety of all athletes, staff, volunteers and the community at large remain the highest priority for both USA Triathlon and PATCO. We appreciate your understanding as we work to provide solutions that enable athletes to compete both safely and fairly in the coming months.
Sincerely,
USA Triathlon
PATCO
read more
