Posted: April 18, 2007

Triathlon: USAT Collegiate Nationals Set for This Weekend

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (April 17, 2007) -- University of Alabama football won't be the only game in town this weekend as Tuscaloosa hosts the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship on Saturday, April 21. This year's event is the largest collegiate national championship in USAT history, with more than 1,000 athletes representing 77 colleges and universities from 35 states, taking part in the 1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run event. In 2006, a total of 645 athletes from 28 teams took part. "We can't wait until this weekend to crown our National Champion," said USAT National Events Director Jeff Dyrek. "Tuscaloosa will provide the ideal collegiate atmosphere for the largest Collegiate National Championship in USAT history. The City of Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama have shown tremendous support for this event. Now it's time to see if all the training and hard work pays off." In recognition of the recent tragic events on the campus of Virginia Tech University, a moment of silence will be observed prior to the start of the race. A contingent of 20 athletes from Virginia Tech registered and are still planning to race in the championship. The race will begin with the swim in Black Warrior River, followed by the bike and run legs along the river on Jack Warner Parkway, with the race finishing on the University of Alabama campus. Awards will be given to the Overall Coed Team National Champion, Top 5 Overall Male/Female, Top 5 Male/Female Undergraduate, Top 5 Male/Female Graduate, and Top 3 Male/Female Teams. Awards will also be given for Team Spirit and Team Sportsmanship. A total prize purse of $2,000 will be split among the top 5 overall coed teams. A complete schedule for the weekend can be found at: USATriathlon.org. About USA Triathlon National Championships USA Triathlon supports the Sprint, Long Course Triathlon, Long Course Duathlon, Winter Triathlon and Club National Championships through existing premier events. National Championship events that are owned and produced by USAT include the Age Group National Championship, Youth Nationals, Collegiate Nationals and Short Course Duathlon Nationals. The National Championship events are USAT's premier events of the year in which we strive to offer the best possible event for all athletes. With the exception of the USAT Age Group National Championship and Long Course Triathlon, any athlete can compete in the national championships. About USA Triathlon USA Triathlon is the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 2,000 races and connects with more than 90,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. Website: USATriathlon.org