TA Challenge Series Cancelled

A new board at TA decided to get out the butcher paper and marker pens, consult USM Events director Garth Prowd and review the state of TA’s Challenge Series. The result is a dissolved series.

TA President Peter Hedge said, “the series, in its existing format, was not financially viable at this stage and faced significant logistical hurdles, so the board has decided to withdraw from the series now in order to protect the interests of our members and the sport.”

Four races in the 2010 calendar have been cancelled – Geelong (January 17th), Hobart (February 14th), Sydney (March 7th) and Adelaide (March 20-to-21). The Canberra race ran on January 24th by Triathlon ACT under the banner of Canberra Capital Triathlon.

You can still qualify for the Australian age group team at the 2010 World Championships in Budapest, with alternative selection races. All other races previously nominated as selection races will continue as selection races, while Challenge Series qualifying races have been replaced by a number of established and locally run races in other states. See www.triathlon.org.au for a full list of selection races for both sprint and Olympic Distance qualification.

The open elite series is now under review. The race in Queensland’s Raby Bay (February 28th) is confirmed; however, the Hobart (February 14th) and Sydney (March 7th) races have been cancelled.

The Caloundra Triathlon is now well positioned to become Australia’s third biggest triathlon behind its Sunshine Coast counterparts Noosa and Mooloolaba Triathlons with the recent announcement by Triathlon Australia High Performance team to include the event as one of the two races in the new National Elite Race Series as part of the athletes’ domestic season.