WTC Introduces New Age Group Ranking System

To further showcase the unique talent of its athletes, World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) today introduced phase one of the new Age Group Ranking system (AGR). The trial run of the programme will recognise the best age group competitors at Ironman, Ironman 70.3 and 5150 Triathlon Series races in Europe.   “We’re extremely enthusiastic about the pilot phase of the new AGR system in Europe,” said AndrewMessick, Chief Executive Officer of WTC. “We continue to be impressed by the caliber of age group athletes competing in our races and we’re excited to more fully acknowledge and reward their accomplishments.”

Athletes ranked No. 1 in their age group in 2012 will receive free entry to a 2013 Ironman, Ironman 70.3 or 5150 Triathlon Series qualifying event of their choice. Athletes ranking second through fifth in their age group in 2012 will receive guaranteed entry for the 2013 Ironman, Ironman 70.3 or 5150 Triathlon Series qualifying event of their choice. The AGR slots will be added into the overall number of available race entries and will not impact registration opportunities for other age group participants across qualifying events.   Athletes will also have the chance to race a 2012 European 5150 Triathlon Series event for free once they register for a 2012 Ironman and Ironman 70.3 event in Europe.

The new AGR system is unique in that it scores races in the Ironman, Ironman 70.3 and 5150 Triathlon Series in one system. In phase one of the program, age group athletes, regardless of nationality, will earn points by competing in any WTC-affiliated race in Europe. Points are collected between May 12, 2012 and Nov. 10, 2012, with the first race opportunity being Thomas Cook Ironman 70.3 Mallorca and the final being Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote.

The system will be broken down into three categories: small, big, and bonus points. Information on the points system may be found by visiting: www.ironman.com/ranking.   While the first phase of the AGR program is open to any athlete, initially points may only be earned on the European race circuit. WTC plans to expand the programme globally in 2013 with Messick adding, “We are committed to making this programme a success and we’re looking forward to offering athletes around the globe the opportunity to compete for a spot on the AGR list as the programme expands worldwide. We will welcome feedback from the triathlete community on the test run of this programme and how we can improve the overall experience.”

All athletes who finish an Ironman, Ironman 70.3 or 5150 Triathlon Series race in Europe between May 12, 2012 and Nov. 10, 2012 will receive an online certificate with their ranking. An example AGR list with data from the 2011 races will be posted on April 15, 2012. The first official AGR list will be available online by May 15, 2012, following the Thomas Cook Ironman 70.3 Mallorca, and will be updated after every event, with the final official list being uploaded on Nov. 20, 2012.

For additional information on the AGR System, please visit www.ironman.com/ranking. All athletes who qualify for a complimentary invitation to a European 5150 Triathlon Series race must submit their Ironman and Ironman 70.3 entry registration codes and the name of the 5150 of their choice to agr.invitation@ironman.com. The free entry must be used during the 2012 race season. Athlete inquiries should be directed to Rankings@ironman.com.

For press-related inquiries, please contact Jessica Weidensall at Jessica@ironman.com or +1 813.868.5914

About World Triathlon Corporation

World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is a Tampa-based company recognized for athletic excellence, distinguished events and quality products. The WTC portfolio includes Ironman, Ironman 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series, Iron Girl and IronKids, which have a combined total of more than 180 events worldwide each year. Supported by partners including Timex, PowerBar, K-Swiss and TYR, Ironman is the No.1 user-based sports brand in the world and has been a respected name in triathlon since its inception in 1978.